The Journal
by DreamerRoad
Summary: I still don't own these characters, and I still do love them. This is my version of what happened next in the Ridge & how we got to the happily ever after ending.
1. Chapter 1

Hannah and Ray's engagement party went to the early hours of the morning, and as Hannah's Maid of Honor, Janet found a way to smile, dance and politely laugh her way through the party, which went on well into the night. She let on to no one that her heart was breaking into tiny little pieces. She tried to push it out of her mind, but Eddie's words, and her actions, were repeating like an unstoppable loop in her head. To make things worse, she had to deal with Rooster's presence as both an annoyance and a reminder. She dealt with him, as best she could, by ignoring his very existence until he eventually got the hint and backed off.

And on she smiled, because in spite of her heartbreak, Janet just couldn't bring herself to take any joy from Hannah on this important day. It wasn't until the guests became scarce that Janet hugged Hannah and Ray goodbye and drove home. Alone.

When Janet got to her house, she realized she hadn't left any lights on. Appropriate, she thought to herself. She opened her front door, and found her way to the couch in the dark. It was then, and only then, that she let the tears flow and the sobs come. For the first time since leaving Eddie in that hospital room she allowed herself to break down. She sat there, alone, in the dark, crying, while in her mind she continued to play out the events of the past few days. Defeated, she sat there, her mascara running down her face and drying into dark smears down her cheeks. Janet then lay down on her couch, curled up on her side, and cried herself to sleep.

A few hours later a dream woke Janet, a nightmare really. She relived those embarrassing, life altering moments with Rooster, and then she relived those horrible moments in the hospital with Eddie. The horrific moments flashed in sequence with screaming noise piercing her eardrums. In her mind, Janet tried to reach out and trace the outline of Eddie's bruised and horrified face, wishing he would let her touch his face, and take away his pain. Unfortunately, in her dream, Eddie's eyes showed her no more compassion than he had that afternoon in his hospital room. She cried again, a deep sorrowful cry that eventually gave way to recurring sobs which finally gave way to a blank void of emotion.

Realizing she couldn't sleep, and she shouldn't cry anymore, she reached to turn on the light. She leaned forward, grabbed some matches and lit her Macintosh Yankee Candle. Something about that smell reminded her of the fall, and the fall made her think about the good times, the best times really, with Eddie Latekka.

At four o'clock in the morning, feeling alone and in pain, she thought about whom she could call. She thought about whom she could lean on in her hour of need. She couldn't call her grandparents; they'd have a heart attack if their phone rang at that hour. She had lied to Hannah about the state of her relationship with Eddie and, she realized, Hannah was most likely asleep in Ray's arms. She was growing close to Pizza Girl, and even Allison, but didn't feel that she had the right to bother either of them at such an hour. And she certainly wasn't ever going to make the mistake of calling Rooster again. No, not ever again. And, the worst part, she realized with a heavy heart, was that she couldn't call the one person in the whole world who could take away her pain and make her feel better. She couldn't call Eddie.

This time, with nowhere else to turn, she decided she would get her emotions out on the written page. Janet Meadows had kept a journal for years, but if she was honest with herself, over the past six months it had turned into her own personal ode to the man she was falling in love with. On its pages were the most important moments of her relationship with Eddie. Before picking up the pen to write, she couldn't help but turn the pages back to entries she made in the past few months and as she sat there, Janet got a little lost in re-reading her favorite love story, the story of Janet and Eddie. Truth be told, this was the first time she had taken the time to re-read what she had written about her and Eddie. She hadn't needed to. Looking back wasn't something she had done very much since she and Eddie had become serious about dating. With her and Eddie it had been all about enjoying the moment and, from time to time, even looking forward a bit.

The first comments about Eddie, at least the grown up version of Eddie Latekka, the man who would first be her customer/protector at Sully's, then her friend, and later her lover, appeared long before he ever asked her out. As their friendship grew, and he spent more nights on his perch at her bar, they talked often and shared many a drink. Most of the early comments were about the unexpected warmth of their friendship. She had a few random comments about his pick up lines and those nights when everyone else thought he'd gone home with some girl, but in truth he'd ended up sitting across from her at last call. Often, on those nights, he would walk her to her car or take her out to the diner for a late night breakfast where there would talk, and laugh, for hours before calling it a night.

She read entries about a few isolated times where she had ended up helping him home after he had 'tied one on' at Sully's. And, a couple of those 'good will' missions had been very entertaining indeed. Like the time he didn't realize who she was and pulled her into bed with him. They hadn't kissed, but she had her first realization about good his arms felt around her. Which, of course, she quickly pushed out of her mind, as she got up from the bed and left him to sleep it off, alone.

When things began to change, the references to Eddie Latekka became more frequent and more personal. The minute Nick came back to town, before he ever asked her out, she wrote about how concerned she was for her friend, because she knew how confusing Nick's return must be for him. And, when he got into the tussle with the college student, and pushed Aubrey after seeing Nick again, she wrote about how she had offered to take him home, and how much she had hated having to call the cops that night. And, she wrote about seeing him the next day when he walked to Sully's to retrieve his truck.

Janet looked up from the book, and sighed lightly, as she recalled how easy conversation was, even then, between her and Eddie. And, how, he seemed to react to her, smile at her, in a way that was different. She just didn't know, early on, what exactly that meant or what it would become. A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek as she realized that she still didn't really know what it had become for Eddie, but she knew in her heart of hearts what it had become to her. Eddie had become her everything.

Janet went back to reading, needing to get back to better times. On the next page she could literally see the shift in her emotions as she wrote about how Eddie had surprisingly asked her out. Ernesto, 'the singing koala bear'. The confusion she felt -- mixed with absolute joy -- at the idea of a date with Eddie. But also the nagging doubt, the questions she kept asking herself -- what does he see in me? Did he really ask me out? Is this for real?

She wrote about how Eddie had come by the bar to ask her if she had 'thought about' going out with him. And, how she looked him in the eye and asked him if he was serious.

Janet looked up from the journal as she recalled their exchange:

"_Hi Eddie. What goes on?"_

"_Not much, if you don't count the surprise return of long lost Nicholson Garrett to the Ridge. I'll take a draft. Thanks."_

"_How's that going? Have you talked to him?" Janet asked with honest concern as she placed his drink in front of him._

"_No, and you know what? I don't really want to talk about him now," Eddie said with a smile, and then a pause before continuing, "So, have you thought about the question I asked you the other day?"_

"_Ernesto you mean?" Janet smiled and blushed._

_Eddie smiled right back at her, "Um. Yeah. Ernesto." And, then with eyes that pierced right into Janet's heart Eddie continued, "What are you doing tomorrow night? Are you working?"_

"_Not working. I've got nothing going on." Janet replied evenly, still not hearing the word 'date' at any point. "Eddie, are you serious?""_

"_Of course I'm serious. I'll pick you up at your house at six." Eddie sipped his beer, Janet smiled and shook her head, and walked away to take care of another customer, and if she was honest with herself, compose herself._

The next page was about their first real date, Hugo's Hideaway, and how she had wondered the whole time if it really was a date. It struck her that as nervous as she had been, the conversation both to, and from, Hugo's had been so easy, so natural, and completely enjoyable. It seemed like a date in every way, except for that kiss on the forehead. Sure she was guarding herself a bit, but she recalled how much she wanted it to be a date. And how much she wanted him to kiss her. She surprised herself with the level of disappointment she felt when the date ended on that note. After Eddie dropped her off the self-doubt crept back in and she headed for the nearest bag of cheese puffs. As she sat there eating her favorite comfort food, Janet wondered if she blew it by doubting his willingness to be seen with her in public. Or, if this truly had been just two friends, hanging out.

Then came the Rowan BBQ. After getting over her surprise at the invitation, she had really looked forward to that day because, she told herself, this had to be a date. When he didn't show up, she honestly didn't think her friendship with Eddie would survive that cruel blow. As she wrote:

_Dear Journal:_

_Today sucked. Seriously sucked. First Eddie blows me off for the BBQ and then poor Sam ends up in surgery. And, damn it, I feel responsible. If I weren't so bummed about Eddie, Hannah never would have sent Sam on his secret mission and he never would have gotten hurt. _

_Thank god Sam is going to be okay. I love that kid so much. What would Hannah do if she lost Sam? What would I do?_

_So, there I was, walking out of the hospital on a mission to bring back Sam's Teddy Walrus and who do I run into? Yes. Eddie. Why did he insist on going to look for Sam's Teddy Walrus with me? And, why did he have to be so completely irresistible at that moment? How's a girl supposed to resist that smile? Next thing I know we're at Hannah's house on a stuffed animal hunt. _

_Eddie found Sam's Teddy Walrus and we ended up having a real, honest to goodness heart to heart and then… nothing. NOTHING!_

_Why is it that I just can't shake the feeling that there is more to Eddie than meets the eye? Having said that, nothing changes the fact that I'm mad as hell at Eddie Latekka and, frankly, a bit gun shy about ever trusting him again._

_I've got to go call Hannah and check on Sam…_

_J.E.M._

Janet just stared blankly as she moved onto the next page. This page was about that unforgettable first kiss. She wrote about the pure joy mixed with slight embarrassment she felt after Eddie walked out of the bar for the second time after the twirl.

_Dear Journal,_

_Wow. Today was just… amazing. Eddie kissed me. Eddie Latekka, the player, the captain of the football team, my friend, kissed me. But more than that, Eddie poured his heart out to me. He was so vulnerable. He looked at me like I was the only other person in the world and then he kissed me. It literally took my breath away. _

_Where we go from here I have no idea… but that kiss? I've been kissed before, but never quite like that. _

_And, what girl wouldn't twirl after that speech and that kiss? Well, I couldn't help myself. Who knew Eddie would come walking back in and catch me mid twirl? I have to admit that I was totally embarrassed. And, I say I was catching a horsefly? What was that? The look on Eddie's face was priceless. And, just like that, he was gone again. And, I was left wondering if I had just imagined the most perfect of moments. _

_That is until Sully came over, gruffly told me to get back to work, and then gave me a knowing wink and a smile. _

_I honestly can't wait until Eddie comes back from his trip to find Owen. Which, by the way, how amazing of a friend is he? He'd better not forget what he started here, because I am so ready to pick up where we left off._

_J.E.M._

Janet found the corners of her mouth turned up slightly as she was brought back to that critical moment in her relationship with Eddie. And, she turned the page to a smaller entry.

_Dear Journal,_

_Eddie called me from NYC today. I missed the call, but he left me a quick message. He said he found Owen and would be back soon. Then he called himself my secret admirer. Am I dreaming all of this? I got butterflies just listening to that message. I can't wait for him to get back and for us to figure out what comes next for "Janet and Eddie." _

_J.E.M._

Janet closed the book as she heard and felt her stomach growl. She had no desire to eat, but she figured that she had better eat something. As she walked towards the kitchen she noticed the message light blinking on her phone. She didn't check caller ID, she just played the message:

"Janet, it's me Eddie. I don't know what to do with what I'm feeling here, but I also can't believe what I said to you. Don't get me wrong, I'm mad as hell. And I'm hurt… But… I need to know that you're okay. Call me."

Just when Janet thought she had no tears left, they came back in full force. Eddie had called, at some point in the day. He called her house phone not her cell, probably knowing that she was at Hannah's party. She checked the time of the call, and realized he had called about 10 minutes before she came home. What did this mean? As much as she wanted to know, she didn't want to wake Eddie up at this hour, so she decided she would call him later that day.

Not knowing what else to do, she stood there and replayed his message, listening to his raspy, beautiful voice over and over before eventually saving the message and going to the kitchen to make some tea and toast.


	2. Chapter 2

Janet ate her toast, drank her tea, and got back to reading her journal

Janet ate her toast, drank her tea, and got back to reading her journal. The next pages brought her through the second kiss and how Eddie kissed her right there in front of everyone, if front of his friends, in front of the Lyons twins, in front of half of Knight's Ridge.

_Dear Journal:_

_Who would have ever thought that Knight's Ridge homecoming would become a life-changing event for me? I had a rough day today, starting off with a particularly cruel walk through the past that Rooster decided to bring me through. Only it wasn't my past Rooster wanted to walk through, it was Eddie's. _

_I get that Rooster really doesn't care for Eddie and that he doesn't believe, even for a minute, that Eddie actually has a legitimate interest in me. But, that's **not** the support I wanted from such a dear, old friend. Doesn't he realize that I get it? That it is already a little intimidating to be on the verge of a romantic relationship with a flirt and, hopefully reformed, womanizer like Eddie? _

_If I'm honest with myself, that's what caused the serious doubts to start creeping back into my mind about Eddie and me. I almost blew things up before they ever began. _

_But, __nothing__ could have prepared me for what came next. Wow. Eddie kissed me. There, in front of half of Knight's Ridge. And what an amazing kiss it was. He said all the right things. ALL the right things. Yes, Eddie Latekka kissed me and told me that I was beautiful. And he did it in front of his friends and all of the people who revere him for his famous "Hail Eddie." But that's not all._

_Eddie stayed with me until closing, walked me to my car, and kissed me again (and again :)). What amazed me was how comfortable I feels to kiss Eddie after being friends with him for so long. I don't feel self conscious or nervous, just happy. _

_We made plans for tomorrow and said goodnight. I'm really looking forward to the homecoming game. I'm excited to see what comes next for Eddie and me._

_J.E.M._

And, quickly followed by another entry:

_Dear Journal,_

_Last night was amazing, but today was even more so. Eddie picked me up around noon, and we headed to the parking lot by the high school where I found out how good Eddie is at tailgating. Ok, so I have a feeling that Phil was responsible for the food preparation, but Eddie was the king of the hibachi grill, the food was great and, because this was Eddie's party, the beer was plentiful. It was a perfect beautiful, crisp, fall day in the Ridge. _

_Owen and Nick joined us for a while, as did some of Eddie's old football buddies, and everyone just took to me being there with Eddie like I had been with him forever. _

_Once the game began, Eddie and I walked hand in hand through the crowd on the home side of the football stadium. Yes, there were a few surprised looks on some of the faces, mostly former cheerleaders, but everyone else who really knew Eddie, or me, seemed really happy to see us there together. Eddie didn't seem to notice, or care, what anyone else thought. He just kept squeezing my hand or putting it around my waist. And, Knight's Ridge won. It was, pretty much, a perfect day._

_After the game, Eddie and I ended up in a booth in the back of Sully's where we talked, and drank, until closing. With neither of us in shape to drive, we decided to walk to my house. It was a beautiful fall night, and Eddie stopped me at one point and kissed me under the stars. Very romantic._

_When we got to my place I was a little unsure of what to do, but Eddie solved that by kissing me on the forehead and proceeding to hoof his way back to his house. I wasn't ready for him to stay, but I was still very sad to see him go._

_J.E.M._

Janet was lost in her memories but, in her exhaustion, she once again fell asleep on the couch.

It was almost noon before Janet woke up again. She didn't have an ounce of energy and didn't really see herself going to work in the condition she was in. Six years of working for Sully and this was her first 'sick call'. On a Sunday, they could handle it. Not to mention that she just couldn't face the people in Knight's Ridge. Especially those people who never thought she deserved Eddie to begin with.

No, today was about surviving. And about working up the courage to place that phone call to Eddie. In need of a little more courage, and she turned back to her journal, to her memories:

_Dear Journal,_

_One month. Eddie and I have been dating for one month. Okay, so I'm not counting our trek across 3 counties to Hugo's Hideaway. No, it's been one month since our first kiss and my twirl. _

_Tonight we went out to the Johnson Inn. I didn't expect a guy like Eddie to remember something like a one-month anniversary, but he did. He brought me flowers, the most amazing pink roses, and he took me out for a very romantic dinner. Truthfully, we 'hang out' more than 'go out' so tonight was very special and we had such an amazing time. _

_But, I am really confused about 'what goes on' between Eddie and me. After one month of dating we have barely made it past second base. For example, tonight, we came back to my place and I poured us some wine, lit some candles and we spent the better part of an hour talking, and kissing, and then… he just left. He just left. Arrrggghhh! I just wanted to strangle him. Yes, I'm a little intimidated by the idea of getting naked in front of that man, but he could at least TRY._

_He __is__ attracted to me, right? I wish I knew what exactly was going on in Eddie's mind right now. _

_J.E.M._

Janet thumbed ahead through the pages looking for a few more entries; the entries that would give her the courage to go ahead and place that call to Eddie.

_Dear Journal:_

_So much for my idea of a perfect Christmas with Eddie. Did I just give Eddie a wolf? Really? Did I? I wanted to die. For a little bit there I really thought I had ruined everything. Eddie was so upset and I can't say as I blame him. _

_I owe Hannah… big time. She helped me come up with a more laid back present. When Eddie came back to take me plowing with him, it went so much better. He gave me a beautiful bracelet that I just love. But that's not the best thing he gave me. He asked me to stay with him, to go with him as he plowed the streets of Knight's Ridge, and I couldn't have been happier. It was such a romantic way to spend Christmas Eve. The Ridge is so beautiful when it is covered with snow and I got to share a perfect Christmas Eve with Eddie. _

_We drove around for hours, and at one point Eddie pulled over, pulled me to him, and we kissed for what felt like an eternity. Once again, though, just when we were about to get to that 'oh so interesting' next level, he pulled back. We continued on our way and I fell asleep against his chest with his arm around me. He woke me a few hours later with a kiss and walked me to my door. I asked him to come in, but he smiled and gentry refused, needing to get some sleep after a long night of plowing. _

_Eddie is heading to Boston to see his parents, and brother, for Christmas after he gets a few hours of sleep. He told me he would miss me, and I let him know in no uncertain terms that I would miss him. I have never kissed a man with that much purpose. _

_Before he left, we made plans for New Years. I have to work, but he said he wants to spend New Years with me anyway. Now that's something to look forward to._

_J.E.M._

_Dear Journal,_

_Eddie called from Boston. For someone who has been putting on the brakes, he was damned flirtatious on the phone. We talked for hours. And, as tired as I was, I just couldn't hang up that phone. I couldn't break our connection. I don't think he could either. I fell asleep to the sound of Eddie's voice telling me some cute story about his childhood. I just hope he hung up before I started snoring or talking in my sleep._

_J.E.M._

Janet closed her journal without writing a word in it. She had been too engrossed in reliving her past with Eddie. And, she knew that she needed to make that phone call.

Janet stared at the phone, holding the number for the hospital in her other hand. Finally, she drew a deep breath and placed the call. After asking for Eddie's room, she almost hung up before the call was even transferred. After a couple of rings, she heard a familiar 'hello' but it wasn't Eddie's voice.

"Hi Nick?" Janet said softly.

"Yeah, Janet?" Nick replied.

"How is he Nick?" Janet asked, sounding a bit desperate.

"Truthfully, his body is healing but he is not himself at all. What goes on with you and Eddie? Why haven't you been by to see him?" Nick was truly confused and Eddie wasn't talking. No surprise there.

"Sorry Nick, that's Eddie's story to tell if he wants to. I want to be there for him, but let's just say I don't really feel like I deserve to be there right now. But, he did call, so if it's okay, can I speak with him?" Janet wasn't shocked that Eddie had kept their problems secret, but she also hoped he was confiding in someone.

"Actually, he's down for a test, something about some levels being a bit off. He should be back up here soon. And, if all goes well, he goes home tomorrow." Janet could tell that Nick was trying to give her as much information as he could and she really appreciated him for it. "Listen, I'll tell him you called."

"Thanks, Nick. And Nick? Please take care of him." Nick responded that he would and they hung up. Janet's heart had sunk about a mile when she found out she couldn't talk to Eddie after working up the courage to call him. Now, it was back to the waiting game.

She found herself desperate to get back to the journal, as if it were her escape or a great novel that she just couldn't put down. She needed to get back to the warmth of a happy Eddie and Janet.

_Dear Journal,_

_Today is New Years. Since Eddie has been in Boston, we have talked on the phone every day, two, three times a day. But, I've missed seeing him. And, I've missed kissing him. He should be back in the Ridge by lunchtime, so he's going meet me at Murph's. _

_How can I miss him this much? I mean… we're just dating. _

_J.E.M._

_Dear Journal,_

_Today is New Years day and Eddie slept over last night. Nothing happened that went beyond sleeping but it was still really special. By the time I got out of the shower he was sound asleep on top of the covers on my bed. Not exactly what I had pictured. So, I crawled onto the bed and snuggled up close to him. As if he had done it every day of his life, his arm slipped around me and we lay there in perfect comfort as I drifted off to sleep._

_But, let me back up. I worked last night and it was just another crazy New Year's Eve at Sully's. Eddie and most of the gang were hanging out and Eddie was having a great time. When it was getting close to midnight I looked for Eddie but I couldn't find him in anywhere in the crowd. I was thinking, great, this year I have a boyfriend – somewhere in this place – and I'm still going to be alone at midnight. So, I went back to work, getting a tray of shots ready for a table of college girls in the front of the bar. Just as I arrived at their table, Eddie showed up, and one of the girls tried to make him her midnight kiss. Let me tell you, that was NOT going to happen. I put that tray of drinks down quickly, fully intending to stake my claim, but before I could make a move, Eddie grabbed me up in his arms as if he had no clue that the girl was hanging on his shoulder. As Sully called out the count down to 2008, Eddie just held me close and stared into my eyes. When the clock struck midnight, I found myself lost in the best kiss Eddie and I have ever shared. How did I get so lucky?_

_Oh, yeah, that's right, I didn't get lucky. :) __Eddie left early in the morning, leaning over and kissing me as if he did that every morning, and headed home to shower._

_He is coming back over in a few hours for dinner. Now, if I could jut get over this nagging fear of his seeing me naked, I'd be so much more obvious with him about exactly what I want from him. I really do want to take this relationship to the next level. _

_J.E.M._

Janet was still waiting for the phone to ring, but at the same time she knew it was time to start writing. She knew exactly what she needed to say, so she flipped the pages forward until she found the first blank page and began to write. The words flowed easily and the tears came back, but she felt somehow lighter after the words were finally written down on the pages of her journal.

Janet closed the journal and then moved over to her desk. She opened the drawer and took out her stationary and began writing a love letter. It took time, but when she finished she was happy with the end result.

Not waiting any longer for Eddie to call, she took a shower, got dressed, did her hair, put on her makeup, grabbed her keys and a few other items and headed to the hospital.

When she arrived at Eddie's room it was after visiting hours were over. No one gave her a hard time though, because she was, after all, everyone in Knight's Ridge's favorite bartender and confidant. As she peered into the darkened room, she caught sight of Eddie. Janet could feel her heart begin to beat more rapidly. She could see that he was soundly sleeping by the steady rise and fall of his chest. Slowly she entered the room and took a seat next to his bed. As much as she wanted to, she dared not touch him because, after everything else she had done, she did not want to ruin what appeared to be a good night's sleep for him.

Instead, she spoke to him, in a whisper, not sure if somehow his subconscious would hear her.

"Eddie, it's me Janet. I don't want to wake you, but I needed to come here. I needed to see you." Janet paused to collect her thoughts. Even though he was asleep, somehow she felt she had to get the words exactly right. "I hope you're doing okay. I hate to see you like this, bruised and hurting. And, I hate not being able to do anything to help you."

"I… I miss you already. I miss everything about us and it's only been hours since I went and threw us away. I am so sorry. So, incredibly sorry. I wish I could take it back, undo what I did."

"I wish I had asked you what went on with you and Rory. I wish I had the confidence to get out of my car, walk up to you and demand the truth. I wish I trusted you and your feelings for me." Tears fell softly down Janet's face but she couldn't take her eyes off of Eddie. "You know, Eddie, more than anything, I am so sorry that you and I never really talked about our feelings. Why was that? What were we afraid of? We could be honest about so many things, but not about what mattered the most."

"I'm still afraid Eddie. I'm afraid…" Janet's voice was strained with emotion as she went on, "I'm afraid that I found my best friend, and the great love of my life, and that I lost him in a moment of drunken desperation. I am sorry, Eddie. I know that it doesn't matter anymore, but I…. I love you."

Those last words were the softest of all the words she spoke and with that she placed something on Eddie bed, next to his hand, and tip toed back out of his room. She wondered if she was tiptoeing out of his life forever.

What she didn't see was the tear that escaped from Eddie's eye, and his eyes open when he sensed she was gone. And what she didn't hear was his very simply whispered declaration, "I love you, too." Eddie's tears began, yet again, but his pain was replaced by confusion when his hand found what Janet had left behind.

Eddie dried the tears from his eyes as he sat up in his hospital bed, turned on his light, and took in what Janet had left for him. It was a book of some kind with a letter on top. He grabbed the letter, opened it and read it.

Dear Eddie,

Where do I start? I know that I owe you the truth. Not just about that night, but about my feelings. I was too shy, too insecure to tell you how I felt about you. I thought I could just wait for you to admit your feelings for me. I should never have waited.

So here goes. I love you. I am over the moon in love with you. And, I should have told you the minute I knew. It was Christmas Eve. Technically it was probably Christmas day by the time the moment of clarity came. You woke me from a sound sleep and I knew immediately that I loved waking up to the sound of your voice; the warmth of your arms around me, and my heart ached when you walked away from me. And I knew. So, there you have it, not only do I love you, but I've loved you for a long time. You don't know how much I wish I had been brave enough to just tell you. Tell you how much I do love you James Edward Latekka. Not the captain of the football team, not the town hero, but you, Eddie. The amazing, wonderful and giving man you are today.

As for the other thing – what I did -- I wanted to tell you the entire story of that day that began so perfectly for us and ended so horribly wrong. But, the more I thought about it; a few words would never do it justice.

That's why I decided, no matter how embarrassing it may be for me to do, I am asking you to read my journal. This is my memory of the great friendship and love story of Janet and Eddie. This is the raw, unedited version. This journal is the piece of me that I never let you touch.

Maybe you can't read it now, but when you're ready, I hope you will do this as one last favor for me.

I am so incredibly sorry for hurting you. I do love you. Always.

J.E.M.

Eddie just stared at the letter and the journal. His heart was breaking all over again as he read Janet's words and thought about her declaration of love. He wondered how he could be so angry with someone, but love them, and hurt for them at the same time. Everything about the situation was perplexing to Eddie. He was tired, his head still hurt, and reading that letter had taken a lot out of him. Eddie closed the letter, stuck it inside the journal and, holding the journal close, he turned out the light and fell back to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

It felt like the longest day ever for Eddie Latekka. The minute he heard he could go home from the hospital, that's exactly what he wanted to do. He hated dealing with the red tape of his release papers, the final questions about insurance, the wait for the doctor to give her final blessing, and he absolutely hated being pushed out of the hospital in a wheelchair. And, after a day of delays, he hated having to get into a minivan with Owen and Owen's entire family. As much as he loved Owen, and his kids, his head wasn't quite ready for that much noise and energy.

Things took a turn for the better when he got back to his house. Eddie as able to walk from the van to the house unassisted, giving him back a sense of self-sufficiency that his hospital stay had lacked. Phil had set up the couch downstairs with all of Eddie favorite thing, well, with the exception of alcohol. Beer and painkillers, after all, wouldn't be a good mix.

Phil had Eddie's favorite movies stacked, Eddie's magazines that weren't appropriate for the hospital lined up, the TV remote at his finger tips, a cooler full of Eddie's favorite root beer and some snack foods at an easy reach, including a snack food that Eddie had recently become surprisingly fond of… cheese puffs.

"You want your bag in your room, buddy," Owen followed Eddie into the house and asked in his normal warm way with his normal big smile. Eddie looked over at his travel bag, remembering back to what he had put in that bag that morning. He was anxious to make sure it was still there. Make sure that the visit from Janet, the letter, and the journal were real. That he hadn't made it all up as a side effect of the medication. "Actually, Big O., can you leave it down here with me? I might need it. Thanks."

"You got it. Hey, listen, Allison and the kids are waiting. Things are still a little strained, but we're going to spend the day together. We're taking the kids bowling and then out to lunch. You have everything you need? Mind if I take off?"

"I'm good Big O. Thanks for bringing me home." And with that Owen headed out the door, to deal with his own business, the business of repair to his broken marriage and the shared task of raising his and Allison's children.

Phil was busy in the kitchen making Eddie his favorite lunch and that gave Eddie time to rest, and time to privately check the contents of his travel bag to make sure the letter and journal were there. He had buried them under his clothes, not wanting Phil or Owen to find them accidentally. He felt for the journal but left it behind, instead, he just pulled out the letter. He re-read the letter for the fifth or sixth time that day. It confused Eddie to read Janet's heart felt declaration of love, and remember her whispered words, after dealing with what he felt was the ultimate slap in the face of his ever growing feelings for her, Janet cheating on him with Rooster Rousseau. Rooster? The fact that his girlfriend slept with another man was tough enough, but with someone who had always had a chip on his shoulder about Eddie. It hurt more than Eddie would care to admit.

Hearing Phil returning from the kitchen, Eddie folded the letter and placed it back in the bag.

"Thanks Phil" Eddie said as Phil placed his famous roast beef open faced sandwich complete with steak fries in front of Eddie. "This looks great. Much better than what I've been eating." And with that, Eddie ate heartily, as only Eddie could do.

"Anything for you Eddie. You gave me a scare. I still can't believe that this happened to you, and, by the way, you look like hell." Phil wasn't making light of Eddie's healing bruises; he was completely serious about this. Eddie had always been so good to Phil, taken care of him, and it pained him to see Eddie beaten and bruised. "What happened to you is criminal. This had to be Big Cat's idea. With Ray Cataldo cowardly hiding behind his henchmen. Not getting his own hands dirty as usual."

"No question, Phiz, Big Cat is behind what happened to me. I know it. Even if I really don't understand exactly why Big Cat has it out for me so bad. But, he's not going to get away with it. He and Lausch haven't heard the last of me." Eddie said very simply and continued to eat. He was done with Big Cat's antics and he had a plan in mind.

Phil just looked at Eddie, and after a pause said, 'whatever you need, I'm here for you man. But, I have to ask, what goes on with you and Janet? I haven't seen you for more than five minutes over the past month, you've been practically living together, and now she's MIA when you're hurt. What goes on with that?"

Eddie looked at Phil, having already decided that he wasn't ready to go there with Phil. "Sorry, buddy, I'm not ready to talk about it, but Janet and me? We're over." Eddie looked down and turned his attention to a magazine, hoping he had done a good job of hiding his hurt from Phil.

Phil just stared at Eddie, hating that Eddie wasn't going to confide in him, and worried about what this meant for Eddie. For Janet too. "That's too bad, Eddie. She was good for you. She was REALLY good for you. You and Janet? That was the happiest I've ever seen you. I hope you figure out whatever went wrong with you two and you find a way to fix it." Phil said with honest empathy mixed with disappointment. He had watched the transformation of his best friend from serial womanizer to content monogamist and he had really enjoyed seeing how happy the latter made Eddie. Phil knew one thing for certain, he knew that Eddie was in love with Janet, and whatever tore them apart, was tearing Eddie up inside.

After Eddie finished his lunch, Phil left him to give Eddie a chance to rest. However, the peace and quiet didn't last long, with Nick and Ikey stopping by to check on their friend. Eddie was woken from a short nap by a resounding, "Eddddd -- eeeeeee" in a way that was uniquely Ikey.

"Ikey, Nick, good to see you guys. How are things at the shop, Nicky," Eddie asked when Nick and Ikey sat down, and Phil came back in the room with bottles of water for everyone.

"Good, really good. It's only been a few days, but I finished the Cutler order, and put the bid in on the old Mill job and I think we have a good shot at it. Next month we put in the new doors and windows at St. Francis Church. So you'd better get back in shape because I can't do this without you." Eddie smiled at Nicky's enthusiasm about the door and window business, and it occurred to him that he had once felt that way too, but about his landscaping business. He wished he loved the door and window business as much as he had thought he would back in high school.

"Yeah, dudes, you guys gotta get your business going strong so I can so quit on Big Cat and come work with you'se guys." Ikey chimed in.

"Hey, Ikey, do me a favor and don't quit or get yourself fired just yet. I think I need you right where you are if I'm going to get back at Cataldo for what he did. You in?" Eddie looked over at his friend that he had worked with day after day, year after year.

"You kidding me? Am I in? I'm so in. This is going to be good" Ikey reached over to pound fists with Eddie. He was grinning from ear to ear, thrilled to be in the mix again. Thrilled to be able to potentially help Eddie, and prove his value to Eddie, Phil, Nick and especially Owen.

Nick and Phil both emphatically stated their agreement about following any plan that Eddie would lay out for them. Eddie went on, speaking directly to Ikey, "If you want to help, you can start by leaving and not coming back. Our friendship ends. No band practice. No beers with the guys at Sully's. No working at Best Friend Windows. It's like this Ikey, you're out."

Ikey just stared at Eddie with a confused, and horrified, look on his face as Nick and Phil's jaws dropped to the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Janet had accomplished her mission. She had been brave enough to go to Eddie. Even if he had been asleep when she got there. And, she had been brave enough to leave her journal with Eddie, along with that very honest love letter. Janet wasn't happy, but she felt better, stronger, and somehow lighter. She didn't know what came next, but she knew that the ball was in Eddie's court.

She had heard from Pizza Girl that Eddie was being released from the hospital today, and she had to admit that she felt her heart lurch a bit when she heard that Owen was going to be the one picking Eddie up and taking him home. Janet knew in her heart of hearts that it should be her taking care of Eddie.

Janet was working the evening shift at the bar, and had a few hours to kill before heading over to Sully's. Hannah was making the wedding favors and had left Janet a message about needing her help.

Janet walked into Hannah's with a box of croissants from the bakery and Hannah's favorite toasted almond coffee. Before starting the crafts Hannah and Janet sat at Hannah's kitchen table, ate their croissants, drank their tea (Janet) and coffee (Hannah) and proceeded to have some good old-fashioned girl talk.

"How's Eddie doing," Hannah asked Janet nonchalantly.

Janet looked at Hannah, looked down, and looked up again. She knew this was going to be question number one, but the pit in her stomach still ached as she answered, "I think he's doing okay. Pizza Girl told me that he was being released this morning."

"You _think_ Eddie's doing okay?" Hannah was confused momentarily, but she figured it out quickly. 'Oh,…. Janet. You lied to me when you said you and Eddie were okay, didn't you?" Hannah asked in a caring, concerned way, putting her hands over Janet's. "That's why I couldn't get in touch with you yesterday?"

Janet looked at Hannah and decided to tell her the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. She told her all about the break-up and about her late night visit to Eddie's hospital room. She held nothing back, because, after all, Hannah was her best friend.

Putting aside any notion of working on crafts today, Hannah and Janet found their way to Hannah's couch, and Hannah brought out the big guns, Ben and Jerry's ice cream; a pint for each of them. And, they sat there, eating ice cream as Janet found comfort in sharing her pain with Hannah.

"Janet, Eddie will come around. You are too important to him for him to let you go. He loves you." Hannah did her best to convince Janet.

"Hannah, Eddie never told me that. And, what I did? Eddie isn't big on forgiveness in general, but this? This is not something that Eddie will be able to let go. He's never going to forgive me. Look at how he reacted to the whole Ikey/Allison affair."

"You didn't have an affair, Janet. You made a one-time, never going to happen again, mistake. A big mistake, for sure, but who among us hadn't made a big mistake?"

"And, who can forget what drove you to this. I just know Rory was up to no good being here. She wanted to cause trouble and she, as usual, got her way." Hannah was livid about Rory and she didn't want to fight Janet's battles, but she knew that if Rory crossed her path at any point it wasn't going to be pretty for her former friend and rival, Rory Dunlop.

"Besides, you did something that neither Ikey nor Allison did, you owned up to it, right away. You told the truth. I'm proud of you. You're such a good person." What Janet couldn't hear was the silent continuation of the thought that Hannah had, neither she nor Eddie had owned up to their mistake all those years ago. She didn't want to call Eddie out on being a hypocrite again. Not now, not when the hurt was so fresh, but she was going to talk to Eddie and try to get him to see things differently. Of that Hannah Jane Daniels was certain.

"I don't feel like a very good person right now, Hannah. I know that Eddie and I weren't together all that long, and lord knows I was alone for a long time before that, but I seriously can't imagine my life without Eddie Latekka in it." Janet teared up, but she didn't cry.

"Enough of that. I could really use a change of topic, why don't we talk about you for a while?" Janet asked as the gabbing turned to talk of Hannah's upcoming wedding. Once again, Hannah seemed happy enough to talk about the big event, which was just two weeks away, but she seemed to be missing something pretty important, a glow, a giddiness, that a 'bride to be' should have.

The favors for the wedding didn't get made, but Janet left Hannah's house feeling stronger than when she had gotten there. Talking with Hannah had been good for Janet, and left Janet with the inner strength she needed to face her next challenge. Going back to Sully's and dealing with Rooster. Janet was going to set some ground rules for Rooster and if he didn't comply, there would be hell to pay.


	5. Chapter 5

Janet took a deep breath before walking through the door at Sully's. She saw Rooster's car outside and knew that a confrontation was unavoidable. At the same time, Janet didn't want a scene. She knew Eddie had chosen to keep quiet about their problems and if that was what he wanted, that was the least she could do for him.

Janet took another deep breath, pushed the door wide open and walked into Sully's like she owned the place. She could see Rooster sweeping the floor out of the corner of her eye, and she could see Sully pouring a draft for a Sully's regular. She walked behind Sully, and he turned to give her a smile, as she placed her pocketbook in its usual spot and grabbed a rag to wipe down the bar.

It was Monday night, which was typically the slowest night of the week at Sully's. Janet knew that she'd find a way to have that uncomfortable conversation with Rooster. It was closing time before they would get a chance to speak privately. They were the last two in the bar and they were going through the usual closing activities, wiping down tables, flipping chairs onto tables, and sweeping. The silence was palpable. No longer did Rooster have any misconception about where things stood between he and Janet. No, he felt certain about what was about to happen.

"Janet, out with it. I can't stand the silence. Just tell me what's on your mind." Rooster quietly implored. Janet just over at him with a tired expression on her face and sat down at a table. Rooster took the chair down from the other side of the table and sat directly across from her.

"I do need to talk to you. I owe you that much because you were my friend, Rooster. One of my oldest, dearest friends." Janet tried to stop her eyes from watering.

"Were your friend?" Rooster asked solemnly. Janet lightly nodded her head.

"Do you know how happy I was Rooster? That day? That morning when I came in here floating on air? Rooster, I swear, I was the happiest person in the Ridge."

Janet thought carefully about what she wanted to say next, "But you just couldn't wait to tell me about Rory. It's not just that you told me. It's that you seemed happy to be the one who got to burst my happy little bubble. Who does that?" Janet began.

"Janet, it's not my fault that Rory came back to the Ridge..." Rooster began, but Janet cut him off.

"No, Rooster, it's not. But, what went on with you and Sully and your stories about Rory and Eddie? Reminding me about how crazy Eddie was about her? Never once did you seem to think that maybe, just maybe, what Eddie had with Rory years ago -- _in high school_ -- was nothing compared to what he had with me. That the crazy things he did for Rory back then were nothing compared to what Eddie would do _for me_ now. And my self-esteem began to crack. That didn't force me over the edge, but it didn't help, Rooster." As Janet spoke, Rooster sat in silence, taking it in, not knowing what to say.

"And that day just began to unravel from there. Rory coming to see me, telling me, for some unknown reason, that she saw Eddie and that he was sad. Eddie not telling me about Rory when I knew damned well she was there. And, the kiss? That drove me over the edge." Janet nervously got up and began to do more cleaning. "I was alone, hurt and vulnerable. Make no mistake about it, I know that I was in a very bad place when I called you and asked you to bring me booze."

"Janet, that's exactly right. _You_ called me. _You_ needed me. _You_ made the first move." Rooster began to get a little more animated perhaps thinking he was making a case. But, instead, he awoke the part of Janet that was angry with her former friend.

Janet stared Rooster down for a minute. She continued with anger, "Yes, Rooster. I called you. But, I called a friend. And, yes, after I drank a quart of _moonshine_, I asked you why you kissed me and, yes, I made a move. But, Rooster, I was counting on YOU to look out for me. You weren't drinking. You didn't have your heart broken into little tiny pieces... I needed you to be the voice of reason. I needed you to tell me that I had something good with Eddie and that he deserved a chance to explain things to me. I needed someone to tell me that I could have gotten it wrong, and that you don't just throw away a relationship like Eddie and I had."

Janet sat back down across from Rooster as she continued, "I needed someone to tell me that I, Janet Meadows, was someone that Eddie Latekka could love. I needed someone to tell me that I was just as good as Rory Dunlop ever was. And, Rooster, more than anything, I needed you to **put** me in bed that night. Not **take** me to bed."

Silence filled the bar for a full moment before Rooster spoke, "Janet, I love you. Don't you know that? Don't you get that I've loved you forever?" Rooster implored.

Janet, calmly and sadly, went on, "I loved you too, Rooster. As a friend. But, if you did love me like that, if you really care about ME, that wasn't the way to prove it."

Janet was done. She had almost said it all. "I can't be your friend right now. I just can't. We work together, because we have to, but we're not friends and we're definitely not more than friends. I need you to stay out of my life... and I don't know when, if ever, that's going to change."

With that Janet got up, grabbed her pocketbook and left Sully's. When she reached the other side of the door, she took another deep breath and let the tears come. In spite of everything, she would mourn the loss of her friendship with Rooster.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Dude, say it isn't so! Eddie, wha'd I do? Why am I on the outs again?" Ikey was truly sad and confused as he asked.

Rather than Eddie responding, Phyz did, "It could work, I think it could work." with a smile.

Nick took a moment, but he got it too. Now they just needed to explain in to Ikey.

Nick took the floor, "It's all good, Ikey. You're still in the group, you just need to go undercover." Nick smiled at the idea wishing it had been his, after all, as a writer he knew how to be creative. As a matter of fact, Nick began thinking that this could be the making of a novel.

Phil continued, "Kind of like Leo DeCaprio in 'The Departed'. Deep cover. Infiltrate the mob and get the goods on the bad guys."

Eddie laughed a bit as he replied, "Phyz, wow, I'm impressed that you selected such a recent movie. But, Phyz, let's hope it ends a little better than that one did." And everyone laughed.

Ikey went on, "Okay, I get it. So what do I have to do?"

Eddie filled him in on the plan, "Just go back to work. Complain about your 'former friends'. Badmouth me, and Nick, whenever you get the chance. Complain that after saving my life you still haven't been brought back into the group. Do what you can to retain Big Cat's trust. Lausch's trust. And, Lausch is stupid; he's bound to let something slip. We all know that Big Cat's dirty, so it won't be long before you uncover something. Fixed bids. Bribes for loans. Maybe even a payoff to Matt for taking me down. Whatever it is, I know you're going to find it."

And, with that Ikey's face lit up. It had been a long time since anyone trusted him to do anything, with anything. This was big and he was NOT going let the guys down. "I'm on it. We are SO gonna bust Big Cat. Yeah!"

xoxoxoxoxoxo

After the guys left, Eddie, realizing how tired he was, took his travel bag and headed up to his room for the night. When he got to his room he couldn't help but smile when he saw that Phil had cleaned his room, no doubt put clean, crisp sheets on his bed and did all of Eddie's laundry. There were definite benefits to having a 'shut in' for roommate.

Eddie sat down on his bed and did what he had wanted to do from the moment he came home. He reached into his travel bag and took out the journal. He recalled seeing Janet scribbling in this book many times over the past few months, and of course, he was curious about what she was writing. Now as he looked at the journal he was more confused about his feelings for and about Janet, than curious about what messages the journal held.

He held the journal in his hands and, as he was deciding what to do next, he thought back to one of the times he had caught Janet writing in this very journal.

_Eddie walked into Janet's house without knocking. They were past that formality at this point. They had just gotten back from their trip to Providence where Eddie had a better time at the nursing home, and at Bye Bye Birdie, than he would have ever admitted. And, he and Janet had gotten even closer on their first trip away together. Now, even though he didn't have a key, he felt like Janet's house was his house too. When he came in, he smelled the wonderful scent of Janet's lasagna cooking in the oven, but didn't find her in the kitchen. Instead, he found her curled up on her bed writing in the journal._

_"Hey, beautiful, what'cha doing?" Eddie asked as he went to his side of the bed, got on the bed, and curled up behind her. Janet turned her head to kiss Eddie, but went back to her writing. Eddie tried kissing her neck and playing with her hair, but nothing would distract Janet from what she was doing. When she was done, she closed the book, put it down, and rolled over to face Eddie. _

_"Seriously, what are you writing in there?" Eddie asked, and went on teasing Janet just a bit, "Are you going to pull a Nicholson Garrett and write a great American novel, because if you are, I seriously don't want to be in it." _

_Janet laughed at him, as she ran her hand down his arm, "No, nothing like that. Just putting down some memories, so when I'm old and gray and starting to lose my memory, I can read this journal and remember you. Remember us." Eddie noticed that after saying that Janet got a bit nervous and tried to back track. "I'm just saying, that this is a good time in my life, and I don't want to forget a thing about it."_

_Eddie looked at Janet, and wanting desperately to say the right thing, assure Janet in some way, "I get it. I really do. You know, it's a pretty damned good time in my life too. Maybe I should write something in your book?"_

_Janet just laughed, "Dude, get your own journal." And, with that, Janet heard the timer go off for the lasagna so she pulled herself out of Eddie's embrace and headed to the kitchen. When Janet had left the room, Eddie grabbed the journal. Careful not to read a word, or disrespect Janet's privacy in any way, Eddie opened the journal to the second to last page and wrote his very own memory._

Eddie hadn't allowed himself too many happy 'Janet and Eddie' memories since learning of Janet's infidelity. He looked at the journal again but stopped short of opening it. It occurred to Eddie that he still couldn't disrespect Janet's privacy. Even with her permission. As much as he was curious to reach that piece of Janet that she always held back, if he was ever going to reinvest in their relationship, and that was still a big 'if', he was going to find another way.

Eddie did open the journal, but he only did so to turn it to that second to last page and recall his own memory. The words he was absolutely certain Janet had never read.


	6. Chapter 6

Eddie Latekka was going stir crazy being cooped up in the house. He was feeling better, and as much as Eddie hated to admit his vanity, he was finally looking better too. It had been almost a week since his release from the hospital and he was ready to get back to work and to life in general. And, Phil, who had welcomed Eddie home from the hospital eagerly, was just as eager to see Eddie get out of the house for a while. Eddie's moping around the house, without explanation, was starting to wear on the perennially happy Phil Farmer.

Eddie was downright depressed about what happened between him and Janet. She was on his mind constantly. He knew that he needed to talk with someone who would understand. There was only one friend whom Eddie felt he could confide in about this particular subject, and that is why Eddie made lunch plans with good ol' Owen Rowan.

Being deeply private about his personal business, Eddie didn't want to be overheard by the Knight's Ridge gossipmongers. To avoid being overheard, Eddie and Owen decided to get some subs from Murph's, some Paul Revere beer, and head down to the lake to do some fishing. When they got settled with their fishing lines in the water, and an ice bucket full of beer between them, Eddie decided it was time to start talking.

"Okay, Big O, I'm going to tell you what goes on, but first I need your word that what I tell you goes no further. Not even Phil or Nicky can hear this." He knew it would go without saying that Ikey was out of the picture too.

Owen understood Eddie's private ways after all the years they had been friends, "Then my word you shall have. What goes on with you, Eddie?"

Eddie paused and looked over at Owen trying to gauge what his reaction would be, and he struggled to say the words out loud, "Janet... Janet cheated on me."

Owen first looked surprised, but then he began to look angry, turning red at the thought, "Eddie, how can that be? You and Janet were good. You and Janet were meant to be. Eddie, this is bad. This is real bad. Why would Janet have an affair? Why?"

Eddie wasn't totally surprised by Owen's outrage, "I guess I wouldn't exactly call it an affair. It was a one-time thing. It was the day that Rory came to town. The same day I got jumped by Big Cat's goons." Eddie was picking up small stones and throwing them at the water.

Owen went on, "Please tell me you didn't find this out from Big Cat." The way Owen said this made Eddie smile slightly in spite of the seriousness of their conversation.

"No, O. Janet told me. The day of Hannah's party. She came to the hospital and told me." Eddie replied.

Owen sat there for a minute trying to put it all together in his head before going on, "She told you? I'll give her some credit for that. But why'd she do it? I really thought she loved you, man."

Eddie looked at Owen when Owen said that Janet loved him, there was anger and disbelief in his voice as he responded to Owen, "I don't know about that. How could Janet love me and do that to me?"

Owen shook his head in agreement, and Eddie continued the story, "That day had started out so good. Did you know that I was practically living at Janet's house? That day we woke up together, we had breakfast, we read the newspaper and all I could think was, wow, this is what it's like to be with someone, really be with someone. It just seemed so... easy. Normal even. All I can remember thinking that morning was, I love this woman, and I have to find the right way of letting her know that."

Owen was surprised by that last comment, "You never told Janet you loved her? Haven't you loved her pretty much from the beginning?"

Eddie raised his eyebrows at the question, "I suppose. But this relationship thing isn't something I'm very good at. I could never seem to get the words out."

Owen seemed to understand, "As a good friend once said to me... I get it. I hear you. That sucks." Owen and Eddie both half smiled at the Nick quote.

Owen went on, "I still don't get why Janet would cheat on you. I've seen the way she looks at you. I know you don't want to hear this right now, but I was sure she loved you."

And, they sat there, with their fishing polls in a comfortable silence until Eddie began talking again.

Eddie told Owen the rest of the story, "To tell you the truth, I'm still confused by what went down, but I know that I hadn't talked to Janet much the day Rory came to town. I guess Janet came by the house to see me. She was driving up right about when Rory and I kissed. Instead of asking me about it, she drove off and assumed the worst. She thought I'd chosen Rory over her." Eddie said with the sound of disbelief in his voice.

"Wait just a minute. You kissed Rory?" Owen was suddenly more confused.

"Yeah, I did. I had never expected to see Rory again. When I saw first saw her, I couldn't deny that I was still attracted to her... one thing led to another and next thing I knew I was kissing her. But, O., I knew right when it happened that I didn't want Rory. I knew that I only wanted Janet." Eddie said. "Not that it matters any more."

Owen was quiet for a few minutes, and a fish biting on his line gave him time to form his own opinion. After realizing the fish had gotten away, Owen turned his attention back to Eddie.

"Eddie, I don't know exactly how to say this to you, but... you screwed up. You cheated first." Owen said firmly to Eddie.

"Owen, I didn't cheat. I kissed Rory. It was nothing. I didn't sleep with her."

"Eddie, you're one of my best friends, but you messed up big time. Your lips should never have been anywhere near Rory Dunlop. You and Rory are legend in Knight's Ridge. Rory was the one that got away and she was the love of your life. I can understand why Janet would see you with Rory and think you and Rory had gotten back together."

"Owen, Rory Dunlop was not the love of my life. I never even loved a woman before..." Eddie was starting to get a little upset over the lack of support from Owen.

"Listen, you know that I am on your side and I, more than anyone, feel your pain. But, you're not thinking clearly. You cheated. Janet cheated. You both cheated." Owen was careful before asking one final question of Eddie, "And, tell me this, if that kiss had felt different, would you have slept with Rory? Would you have done that to Janet?"

Eddie was silent for a minute and hung his head when he admitted, "I have no idea."

Eddie had gotten it all off his chest and Owen had tried to support Eddie while giving his some honest feedback. With that they stopped talking, continued fishing, and Eddie found himself even more confused. However, if he could admit it to himself, his feelings of anger towards Janet were starting to dissipate a bit and he was suddenly feeling more empathy for her. One thing was for certain; Eddie Latekka was not going to get a good night's sleep tonight.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Janet had a stressful Sunday afternoon shift. The first half of the night she did something that Janet Meadows never did, she forgot orders and made drinks wrong. It didn't help that Ray, Matt and Ikey were hanging out laughing, playing pool, and having a good time. Janet didn't know what to think about Ray, but she felt in her bones that Matt was responsible for what happened to Matt. And, if so, she wondered how Ikey could hang out with him.

She was also trying to ignore what appeared to be a very passionate conversation happening between Ronnie and Aubrey a few tables over. She could see the romantic tie that bound those two from a mile away, but all she could think about was what would a Ronnie/Aubrey pairing do to poor Nick.

Sully had started to get upset with Janet's lack of attention and he ordered her to take off early. Janet wasn't used to messing up at work, and she knew her head was still a mess, so she did as Sully requested and went home.

When she turned down her street, Janet thought she was seeing things. Eddie's truck was parked outside of her house and as she got closer she could see him sitting on her front steps. Janet's heart started beating faster and her mind started racing. Had Eddie read the journal? Is that why he was here? How long had he been sitting there? How long would he have sat there if she didn't leave work early? Part of her wanted to keep driving for fear of the unknown. But, instead, she pulled into her driveway, got out of the car, and walked up to Eddie. Eddie glanced up at her but didn't say anything, so Janet sat down by his side. Not too close, but close enough.

They didn't speak at first, neither knowing what to say, and finally Janet broke the ice, "Hi Eddie. What are you doing here?"

Eddie looked over at her, "I'm not exactly sure. But, I wanted to give this back to you." He pulled the journal out from behind him and handed it to Janet. The tips of their fingers brushed and Janet felt the electricity as Eddie's skin briefly touched hers.

"Thank you. Um, did you read any of it, Eddie?" Janet asked quietly with a questioning look on her face.

Eddie still couldn't look at Janet, so he gazed out across her front yard before answering, "I couldn't read your journal Janet. It's not that I didn't want to. I really do want to understand where things went wrong with us. But I have always respected your privacy and that's not going to change now."

"Oh." Janet was at once pleased and disappointed. "Do you really want to understand where we went wrong, Eddie? Because we can talk, if you want to."

Eddie was slow to answer, "I'd like to know more about what happened that day. I can't promise anything except that I'll try to listen."

"Fair enough. Let me know if you want me to stop..." Janet kept looking at Eddie, trying to ensure she didn't drive him away by telling the story, "So, you know how that day started. I woke up with you. We had a great morning and I went to work happier than I've ever been before in my life." Janet looked over at Eddie, trying to see if he would give her any expression, any acknowledgment that he felt the same way. She got her answer when Eddie smiled slightly and nodded his head.

"When I went to work the first thing I heard was that Rory was in town. And then Sully and Rooster..." Janet trailed off after saying Rooster's name and instinctively touched Eddie's arm, "Sorry. Well, they started telling me all about you and Rory. How crazy you were about her. The things you would do for her. That she was the only woman who ever broke your heart. And, I was okay. It bothered me that they assumed that you felt more for Rory that you did for me, but I really tried not to let it bother me." Janet paused, and Eddie just continued to look off in the distance.

"Then I called you and you didn't tell me about Rory. I was still okay, but getting a little anxious. But then, Rory came into Sully's and..."

A surprised Eddie looked over at her and cut her off, "Rory came into Sully's?"

"Yeah. She came into Sully's, and she asked me if I knew why you were so sad. And all I could think was, how could you be sad? How could you be sad when I was so happy? And, that made me worry. Worry that you were holding out on me. That you weren't happy being with me." Tears were forming in Janet's eyes, but she was trying hard to hold them off, be strong in front of Eddie.

"Janet, I wasn't sad. I was confused seeing Rory after all those years, but I was never sad when I was with you." Eddie said quietly.

"One more thing, Eddie, Rory talked to me, but she didn't seem to know that you and I were together. Did you tell her you were with me?"

Eddie hesitated before responding, "No, I didn't. Not until after I kissed her." Eddie looked genuinely apologetic, and Janet couldn't conceal her hurt feelings. There was a measurable silence before Eddie spoke again, "So what happened next?"

"You came in for lunch and you still didn't tell me that you had seen Rory. And,..." Janet hesitated before going on. Eddie just looked at her and his eyes asked her to keep going, "you didn't kiss me goodbye. You didn't tell me you'd see me later. You didn't say, I'll call you. Eddie, we had been going out for months and you were a creature of habit. You always kissed me goodbye, told me you'd see me or that you'd call me later. And, that really got to me."

"But why didn't you ask me what went on? I could always count on you to keep me in line and call me out on anything. Why not this?"

"Because 'this' was Rory Dunlop and I am no Rory Dunlop." Janet had tears in her eyes.

"Janet you never needed to be Rory Dunlop. You have always been so much more than Rory Dunlop ever hoped to be." Eddie was starting to put the whole picture together.

Janet smiled slightly but didn't seem to buy what Eddie was saying, "I was going to ask you what went on. That's why I went to your house. I went there to talk to you. Instead, I saw you kiss her. Eddie, it broke my heart." Janet could no longer stop the tears from streaming down her face. For a split second, Eddie instinctively reached over to brush some of her tears away, before seeming to recall their breakup and pull his hand back quickly.

Eddie was starting to put the whole picture together. "I wish you had stopped your jeep, walked right up to us and hit me."

"Hit you? No, Rory Dunlop wouldn't have known what hit _her_." Janet said and both she and Eddie chuckled a bit.

"Eddie, I know you don't want to hear this, but I was devastated. Destroyed by what I had seen, and what I perceived it to be. I thought you had chosen Rory over me and that broke me. Eddie, I was so sad. So hurt."

Janet paused for a minute before continuing, trying to see if she was pushing it by going this far, "I called Rooster and asked him to bring me booze. I wanted the pain to go away. He brought moonshine."

"He brought you what? You called him and he brought you moonshine? I'll kill him." Eddie was mad.

"He didn't force it down my throat. I drank so much of it, but I did that all on my own. I was drunk and I wasn't thinking clearly. I knew Rooster had a thing for me so, in what may be the worst decision I've ever made in my life, I decided to throw myself at him because I thought it would make me feel better. Feel better about myself."

"Was Rousseau drunk too?" Eddie asked feeling extremely edgy. This was almost too much for him.

"No. He was perfectly sober." There was a hint of anger in Janet's voice as she related that news to Eddie.

Eddie was steaming as he heard this. Still mad at Janet, but understanding it more, and getting more furious with Rooster Rousseau. He was mad at him for sleeping with his girlfriend, but also for taking advantage of a drunk and hurting Janet.

"Eddie, I regretted it as soon as I figured out what I had done." Janet was holding her head in her hands at this point, almost feeling like she was going to be sick.

Janet and Eddie sat there, neither wanting to move, but neither knowing what else to say.

Eddie was still very confused and after a few moments he stood up and turned around to face Janet, "I'd better go." He began to walk towards his truck, but her turned around one more time to say something, "Janet, I….." Janet looked up at Eddie and gave him a weak smile. Eddie didn't say any more, he couldn't seem to find the right words. And with that Eddie got into his truck and drove off.

When he was out of sight, Janet went into her house and decided to get back to writing in her journal. When she settled on her couch and looked at her journal, she noticed something was sticking out of the book near the back. She opened her journal to the marked page and found one of Eddie's Best Friend Window's business cards. But she was more surprised to see a whole page of her journal filled with Eddie's chicken scratch handwriting.

_Dear Janet,_

I was watching you write your memories in this book and I got to thinking about my favorite memory. There are a lot to choose from, but I think my favorite was about two weeks ago. You had warned me before I came over that it was a 'sex is not going to happen tonight' night and that you were in a bad mood. You said you wouldn't blame me if I didn't come over at all. Maybe you didn't want me to come over, I don't really know. But that didn't stop me because I just wanted to see you, hang out with you.

When I got here, you had just gotten out of the shower. Your hair was pulled back in a ponytail; you didn't have any makeup on. You were wearing sweatpants and one of my old flannel shirts. You came over, curled up next to me on the couch, kissed my neck, and then you lifted my arm and put it around you just where you wanted it to be. It felt so right to be sitting there with you by my side, my arm around you. And we just sat there. Not saying a word.

You got up to go to bed and you reached out your hand to me asking me to come with you. When I looked up at you, all I could think about was how you, Janet Meadows, were the sweetest, sexiest, most beautiful woman I had ever known. I wanted to tell you that I loved you right then and there, but once again I froze up. I started to say it but when you looked at me, I just couldn't find the words. I hope that you know it even though I can't seem to find a way to tell you.

I'm not a sad person anymore, Janet, because I have you in my life.

Love,  
Eddie

Janet remembered, right away, the night that Eddie must have written this entry. And it hit her that by putting his business card in the journal he had wanted her to find it now. She just sat there, stunned, as she read the words over and over. Eddie loved her. And, he wanted her to know it. Where things went from here, Janet had no idea, but for now she was left with something she hadn't felt in weeks... Janet Meadows once again had hope.


	7. Chapter 7

If he was honest with himself, Ikey had to admit that working for Big Cat, and even working with Matt, wasn't all that bad... IF he could forget, even for a second, what the two men had done to his lifelong friend Eddie Latekka. After all, Ray and Matt worked hard, they played hard, and the pay was pretty darned good. But, Ikey couldn't forget. Not now, not ever. Finding Eddie that night, broken, beaten, and lifeless, was an image that Ikey would never get out of his mind. Those scary moments waiting for the ambulance to arrive were among the longest moments of Ikey's life.

And, he would never forget the great feeling he had when Eddie asked him to help find proof of Big Cat's evil doings. Somehow Ray and Matt had to be held accountable for what they did to Eddie -- and Ikey was determined to be the one to figure it all out.

Ikey pulled up to the job site right on time, put on his hard hat, and headed to the worksite mobile office. Ikey could hear Matt and Ray's raised voices coming from inside the trailer. It was apparent that the two were angry, yelling at one another. Ikey couldn't make anything out of what they were saying. Rather than wait, he walked in hoping to catch some information in the few seconds before they noticed his arrival. No dice. Ray and Matt stopped their arguing immediately and nothing in their words gave anything away.

"What goes on, everything cool here?" Ikey asked as he stepped into the trailer.

Ray tried to hide his annoyance with Ikey's arrival, and thinking quickly said, "Oh, yeah, Ikey, we're cool. Just a minor difference of opinion. About the driveway. Matt here thinks that we should do a heated driveway, and I told him it's not in the plans. But, he's really trying to sell me on it, aren't you Matt?" Ray half smiled in a semi-intimidating manner.

"You're the boss, Ray. Have it your way." Matt said without his usual friendliness towards Ray, before heading out of the trailer and back out onto the work site.

"Cool dat." Ikey said "So, boss, what do you want me to do today? I was going to put up the fence, but it ain't here yet."

Before Ray could respond his phone rang, and he put up his finger to tell Ikey to hold on one minute, "Hey Hannah, what's up? ... What do you mean the basement's flooded? ... Can't you handle?... Hannah, my truck is full of shingles and roofing supplies. If I have to empty it ... that's gonna take time... okay... I..."

Ray was wrapped around Hannah's finger and was trying to figure out a way to get to her, but the job would be delayed if the roofing supplies left the work site. Ikey figured out what was going on and came up with the solution Ray needed, he held up his keys, which brought on the most appreciative smile that Ray could muster. Ray continued, "Don't worry about a thing, beautiful, I'm on my way."

Ray grabbed Ikey's keys, "Good man, you are a life saver. Your good deed will be rewarded. Hey, David, can you take my keys and make sure the roofing materials get unloaded and the job gets done right?" and with that Ray threw his keys at Ikey and ran out the door.

Ikey took one look around the office, took another look at the keys, and he had an idea. He needed to get that truck unloaded, get into town and go see Darcy at the hardware store. Yes, Ikey had a plan forming in his mind, and it involved one duplicate set of 'Ray Cataldo' keys 'to go'.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

After weeks of recovery, Eddie was ready to go back to work at Best Friend Windows. He walked in bright and early, lunch bag in hand, and was surprised to find Nick already there. Since the beginning of their partnership, Eddie and Nick had fallen into a comfortable routine, Eddie was a morning person, so he'd get there first, make the coffee and Nick would wander in later. Nick would always stay later, unless something crazy was going on and they both needed to be there. If business was slow they both would usually take off early and head to Sully's.

"Morning Nicky," Eddie said as he walked in the door, "What goes on? You're here early." Eddie paused, and with slight worry on his face asked, "You didn't touch the coffee pot. Did you?" It was well known that Nick wasn't allowed to make coffee. Ever. It was never a good thing when he tried. Eddie had no interest in drinking Nick's 'not so finest' sludge.

"Nope, stopped at Dunkin Donuts on the way in," Nick smiled and held up his Styrofoam cup of coffee, "Welcome back, partner." Nick got up from behind his desk, walked over to Eddie, and playfully hit him on the arm.

"Ouch, Nick, still bruised here." Eddie half joked, half winced in pain. "So, I haven't seen much of you this week. Been busy?"

"Nah, things are good here. Completely under control. Honestly, I'm just trying to figure out my personal life." Nick hesitated for a split second before continuing, "Aubrey… broke up with me."

"Sorry to hear that man, why'd she break up with you." Eddie looked genuinely concerned as he sat on his desk, pulled an apple out of his lunch bag, and started chomping on it.

"She said it was because of my feelings for Hannah. But I really think something else is going on. Another guy maybe? I don't know."

"Have you talked to her lately?" Eddie asked.

"A little. She's not saying much more than that." Nick leaned against his desk and looked over at Eddie. He hesitated before saying, "So, you and I are both single guys now, or so I hear. Want to tell me what happened with you and Janet?"

Eddie looked at him, he knew this question would come, and he paused trying to think of exactly what he wanted to say to Nick. He didn't expect to be saved from the 'hot seat' by a very excited Ikey running into the shop.

"Dudes, I ask you this. Who's gonna bust Big Cat? We're so gonna bust Big Cat. Oh yeah." Ikey was all smiles as he walked over to Eddie and punched him lightly on the arm.

"What's with you dorks and my arm. Ouch..." Eddie rubbed his arm at walked across the room to the storefront window, leaving his desk for Ikey to sit on.

"So, what you got?" Nick asked.

"Keys." Ikey said, with no further explanation.

"Keys, Ikey?" Eddie said, "What keys..." Eddie was interrupted mid-thought as he stared out the window. Walking down the street were Janet and Pizza Girl. They were walking slowly, deep in conversation. Janet seemed to be doing all the talking, Pizza Girl doing the listening. The two wandered further down the street and turned into the diner across the street and disappeared. Eddie kept watching the diner window, not sure exactly what he was expecting to see, but well aware of just how much seeing Janet, even from a distance, still impacted him.

"Eddie. Earth to Eddie. You in there, Dude?" Ikey teased.

Eddie turned around, "Yeah, just thinking. Seriously, what are you talking about? Keys?"

"Yes, keys. I have Big Cat's keys and right now I am having copies made by your old friend Darcy from the hardware store," Ikey couldn't resist barbing Eddie about that little bit of history as Eddie stared him down for a second, ""Not bad, Ikey. But, what happens next?" Eddie asked.

Ikey just stared dumbfounded at Eddie, "Dude, that's why I came here. I got the keys. You need to come up with the rest of the plan. Am I supposed to do everything here?"

Eddie and Nicky looked at each other and seemed to communicate without speaking. Eddie said to Nick, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Nick crossed his arms, shrugged his shoulders and replied, "For the record, the last time I tried to break into somewhere it didn't turn out so good."

Ikey and Eddie both shook their heads in agreement as smiles broke out on everyone's faces.

Nick went on, with a more serious tone, "But…. if we do break in, and we find something, you know it's not going to hold up in court. We do this, and Big Cat and Matt don't go to jail for what happened to you."

Eddie looked at him and said, "I get that. Thing is -- with Ray's money, he's not going to jail for anything anyhow. We're better off to try to find a way to take him down on our own. I want him to hit him where it hurts. His business. His wallet. And, who knows, maybe we get to help out Hannah and Sam along the way."

It was agreed. And with that there was a 'woop, woop' and some pounding of fists.

Then Ikey left to get the keys and head back to the worksite before Big Cat figured out he'd even been gone.

Eddie resisted going back over to the window, and instead made a pot of coffee, before sitting down at his desk and trying to get his mind focused off of Janet and onto getting some work done.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"So, you've talked all about missing Eddie, and messing up at work, but you still haven't told me what went down between you and him. Shoot sister." Pizza Girl tried to coax information out of Janet.

"And, I'm not going to go there, if that's okay." Janet said as she stirred a bit of sugar into her tea.

"I miss seeing you at the house. And, Eddie is NO fun anymore. I mean, I get that he was beat up and all, but he's such a downer right now. He's missing you. A lot. I can tell." Pizza Girl said, in her normal animated fashion.

"I don't know about that… But I do miss hanging out with you too. And Phil. Tell Phil I said hello. And that I miss him and his fabulous pancakes… and please tell him that I finally watched that movie he lent me. It was just as good as he said it would be." Janet smiled at the memory of some of the meals the two couples had shared and the love of old movies that she and Phil bonded over.

"I will gladly pass the message along and I assure you that Phil Farmer misses you too. But, let's get back to the main point here. How are we going to get you and Eddie back together? You're miserable. He's miserable. You're crazy about him. He's crazy about you. I don't get it, why not just make up?" Pizza Girl kept digging.

"If only it were that easy." Janet loved Pizza Girl's positive spirit and wished she had a more positive message to share, "I'll put it this way, I caused our breakup. Eddie didn't help, but…" Janet smiled through her frown at Pizza Girl, "But I did this. And, as much as I want to fix it, the ball is in Eddie's court. And, I'm honestly not sure what he's thinking right now."

Pizza Girl took a sip of her herbal tea, and looking over the mug with a smirk she reported, "I do. I'd say he's still very interested"

"What makes you say that?" Janet asked, not convinced.

"He couldn't take his eyes off you." Pizza Girl announced.

"When?" Janet asked – truly confused.

"When we walked down the street and came in here. The boy was standing at the front window of 'Best Friend Windows' and he stopped whatever it was he was doing and followed your every move with his eyes." Pizza Girl looked very pleased to relate her observation.

"Did he really?" Janet asked and Pizza Girl nodded her head while giving Janet the biggest Pizza Girl smile she could muster. Janet shrugged her shoulders, and smiled back at Pizza Girl and said, "Anything is possible, right?" And, with that, Janet looked over at Best Friend Windows, which she could see out the Diner window, and let herself once again daydream about her 'possibility,' Eddie Latekka, and the potential sequel to the "Janet and Eddie"story.


	8. Chapter 8

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Snooze. That wasn't something Janet Meadows did often, but when her alarm clock went off that morning she just couldn't wake up. After all, she had been in the middle of such an amazing dream. Actually it was something between a dream and a really happy memory. Janet was so happy to once again be able to have happy Eddie dreams instead of the nightmares she had been having. She wanted, no, she needed, to get back to this sweet dream.

She drifted back to sleep, just begging to be brought back to a very happy moment in the romance between her and Eddie Latekka.

_It was a few days after New Year's and that fabulous kiss/moment they had shared as the clock counted down to midnight. It was also right about the time that she and Eddie had transitioned into a warm, comfortable relationship as opposed to the formality of dating. _

_After New Year's there was another big snowstorm and, this time, Janet couldn't go with Eddie as he plowed the streets of Knight's Ridge. Instead, Janet was working at Sully's, pouring drinks for all the regulars who, when they sensed a storm coming, decided to make the most of it by hunkering down at Sully's for the duration of the storm. After all, Sully's had a generator that would kick on if the lights/heat went out AND Sully's also had an unending supply of food and booze. _

_Around 10pm, Eddie came walking into Sully's, looking cold, exhausted, and slightly snow covered. The nor'easter had been going at a steady clip since about noon. The minute Eddie had opened the door; Janet sensed his presence and looked up at him with a tremendously warm smile that he returned with a 100-watt smile of his own, the one that he reserved only for her. _

_Janet immediately grabbed the thermos she'd kept under the counter, walked over the coffee pot that she'd kept fresh all night in anticipation of Eddie's arrival, and filled it. Then she grabbed a brown bag full of goodies she'd put aside for him, knowing he'd be hungry. But, she was surprised when she turned around and Eddie wasn't sitting at his usual spot at the bar. Instead, he had walked to the end of the bar. She walked over to him, handed him the thermos and bag, and was surprised when he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. Something, she realized, he wouldn't have been able to easily do from his seat at the bar. He smiled again, looked down at the thermos, and bag, and quietly said, "Thank you." _

_"Hey, good to see you." Janet said, touching his cold face with her warm hand. "Why is your face so cold, is the heat working in your truck?"_

_"The heat in my truck is fine, I was just out there trying to unbury your car," Janet looked at him in surprise, "But, I didn't have much luck. You parked in a pretty tough place. I think Ikey was here plowing earlier, and let's just say he didn't do you any favors." Eddie was still pretty sore with Ikey._

**Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...Janet's alarm clock went off again... this time she just plain shut it off.  
**  
_Janet wasn't used to someone taking the time to do something like that to help her out. It immediately hit her that she really liked having a boyfriend, especially one as sweet, thoughtful, and caring as Eddie. _

_"Thanks, Eddie, that's so sweet of you. I'll keep working on it when I get out of here." Janet replied, looking at Eddie and unable to help herself, she stepped up on her tippy-toes and gave Eddie a most appreciative kiss. After a catcall whistle from one of the regulars, and a glare from Sully, Eddie and Janet broke away from each other._

_"I don't think you're going to get your car out of that snow bank tonight, Janet, have you been outside at all?" Janet just shook her head no, she'd had no reason to venture out, Eddie continued, "Can you take a minute? Grab your Jacket." _

_Janet went over to Sully, told him she was taking a break, grabbed her coat, and followed Eddie out to the parking lot. She was surprised when she felt how cold it was and saw just how much snow had accumulated. They had been watching the Boston news in Sully's, and since Boston hadn't been hit as badly, the storm wasn't getting much attention._

_The sheer volume of snow that had amassed during her time at work today completely amazed Janet, but at the same time she was in awe of the sheet beauty of the Ridge in the snow._

_"Wow, Eddie. It's beautiful out here. This is amazing. I had no idea..." But before Janet could continue her thought, Eddie carefully took her in his arms, somehow still able to hold the thermos and bag in one hand, and hold her with the other. Eddie kissed Janet with fierce passion, and she found herself wrapping her arms tightly around him, thrilled to be so close to Eddie, thrilled to be kissing him at that beautiful moment in time._

_He pulled back, took her hand and directed her towards his truck, where the two forgot the world for a little bit while getting lost in each other's arms. _

_After a bit, Eddie reached a point where he had to stop, so he grabbed her up in his arms and just held her. This was almost a new level of passion for the two 'would be' lovers. After some silence, Eddie spoke, "I have to tell you that you've been on my mind all day. Non-stop. I know you had to work today, but I really missed having you here with me." He said as his fingers found, and played with, her bracelet, as he seemed to be thinking back to Christmas Eve._

_Janet kissed Eddie lightly, laced her hand through his and said, "Me too. I've been watching that door like a hawk since you left at lunchtime. I worry about you, you know."_

_Eddie looked down at her, with a bit of surprise, "You worry about me? I didn't know that. It's been a long time since anyone, other than Phyz I guess, worried about me." And with that Eddie and Janet kissed again, before Janet pulled away, fully realizing that she and Eddie both needed to get back to work, and if they didn't pull away, any thought of returning to work would be thrown out the window._

_"How 'bout I come back and give you a ride home?" Eddie asked Janet, who looked at him in a way that told him she was ready to go home now and wishing she could, but she said, "It's pretty dead in there. I should be done by 1:15pm."_

_"Okay. I'll be back for last call." Eddie said as he watched Janet get out of the truck, walk back towards Sully's, and turn around with a wave before disappearing in the door. _

_Like clock work, Eddie was back, sitting on his stool at Sully's, and he and Janet toasted the snow storm with a last call shot. Eddie drove Janet home, walked her to the door, kissed her again, but again, exercising supreme self-control, stopped short of walking through her front door. _

Janet woke up to the sweet memory of Eddie's lips pressed against hers, and she turned over to check the time on her alarm clock. She shot up in bed when she saw that it was 9:32am. It was the day of Hannah's rehearsal dinner. Janet had taken the next four days off to help Hannah with her last minute efforts, and enjoy the festivities of this event filled wedding. Only thing was, she and Hannah had planned to meet up at Hannah's house at 10am to do some last minute work on the seating plan before their 11:30am nail appointments. Hannah had the day fully booked and planned out to the minute. Janet jumped out of bed and did her best to not throw a wrench into Hannah's carefully planned day.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Hannah, I'm so sorry I'm late," Janet said as she let herself into Hannah's house.

"I'm up here," Hannah yelled from upstairs in her bedroom.

Janet quickly bound up the stairs and walked into Hannah's room. Hannah was standing in front of her mirror in a stunningly beautiful green dress.

"Rehearsal dinner? Or the dress you're going to change into after your wedding?" Janet asked as she crossed the room towards Hannah.

"Rehearsal dinner." Hannah said with some hesitation in her voice. "I can't believe it's tonight. And in two days, Ray and I will finally be married."

Once again, it was clear to Janet that Hannah didn't have the joy a bride should have on the verge of her wedding day. The joy Janet was certain she would have if she ever had the chance to become Mrs. Eddie Latekka.

"It's a beautiful dress, Hannah. Hot. You will wow everyone." Janet said as she sat down on the bed, and Hannah disappeared into the bathroom to change back into her jeans and t-shirt.

"You know that I really want you to be happy, Hannah Jane." Janet yelled towards the bathroom. And she meant it quite sincerely.

Hannah walked back into the room with the dress back on its hanger, placing the dress back in her closet, and smiled at Janet, "That's what I want for you too, my friend. So,..." Hannah trailed off, seeming to hesitate before asking Janet a question, "Have you talked to Eddie at all?"

"We talked a few days ago. I don't know what to make of it though. I have no idea what, if anything, happens next." Janet confided in Hannah, as her hand felt for her bracelet, something that had become very comforting to Janet, "I just... I miss him, Hannah. I really miss him." Janet was able to say without tearing up or breaking down. Hannah just looked over at Janet, giving her a nod of understanding and a smile of comfort.

Janet didn't want to be a downer, so she changed the mood and the conversation, "Hey let's get that seating chart finished. We have a wedding to get you ready for and, as your maid of honor, I'm going to make sure this thing goes off without a hitch."

And, as she said the words, she felt like for the first time she was lying to her best friend, because for some reason she had an unsettling feeling that something wasn't quite right about this wedding and, maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't happen at all.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Eddie was still trying to figure out the plan to get Big Cat. There was no guarantee that by breaking into Ray's mobile office that they would find anything on him. Eddie doubted that Ray was 'clean' but he also had to assume that Ray was a bright guy who wouldn't leave evidence of his evil doing around for the world to find. And, there was always the chance that they'd get caught, and if they were caught, it wouldn't be like the slap on the wrist that Nick, Ronnie and Owen got for breaking into the professor's office at the Duf. No, getting caught would mean criminal charges, a criminal record, and bad PR for Best Friend Windows.

Eddie was lost in thought as he walked down the street heading towards Murph's for lunch take-out for himself and Nick. So lost, that he almost ran straight into Janet and Hannah who also were lost in their own conversation as they came out of the Ridge Day Spa. Eddie politely stopped, as did Janet and Hannah.

"Hey Ladies, what goes on with the two of you?" Eddie asked both of them, but his eyes were locked with Janet's.

Hannah looked at Eddie, and back at Janet, and trying to conceal her growing glee at the spark that was so evidently still burning between Eddie and Janet responded, "Girl stuff. Getting our nails done. I'm getting married Saturday, you know. What goes on with you Eddie?"

Hannah waited for a response, which she didn't get, and being the good friend she was to Janet said, "Hey, Janet, do you mind if I run back in? I decided to buy that polish after all." And, sensing Janet was too lost in Eddie's eyes to respond continued, "Okay, then." Hannah then simply backed up a couple of steps, turned around, and headed back to the spa.

Janet was the first to speak, "How've you been Eddie?"

Eddie replied, "I've been good. I'm back to work. Almost back to myself. You?"

Janet looked at Eddie's stubbly face and was overwhelmed by how much she wanted to touch him, kiss him, and it didn't help that she was having flashes of the dream she had that morning, "I'm okay, Eddie, you know, helping Hannah get ready for her wedding. Keeps me busy. But I..." Janet didn't dare complete the thought.

Eddie looked at her and simply said, "I know. Me too." Eddie paused before continuing, and he could see Hannah coming, "'Listen, I have to go. But, if it's okay I'll call you. Is it? Okay if I call that is?"

"It's very okay, Eddie." Janet said, a smile bubbling to surface. "Bye."

"Bye." Eddie said with a smile towards Janet, and a nod towards Hannah, before disappearing into Murph's.

Hannah waited for Eddie to disappear and then grabbed Janet's hand and squeezed it, "Oh my god, does that man still have it bad for you. And I mean really bad. It's only a matter of time, my friend, only a matter of time."

And, for once Janet didn't disagree. Things were looking up and Janet absolutely couldn't wait for that promised phone call from Eddie Latekka.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

It was really good to see Janet, Eddie thought to himself, as he grabbed his take-out order, and walked back out of Murph's. If he was honest with himself, he was hoping that he'd see Janet again when he walked out that door. Instead, he had his second run-in of the day; only this one was far less pleasant.

No, this time someone -- clearly not paying attention to where they were going -- ran smack into Eddie, and that person was no match against the sheer size of Eddie Latekka's frame. Because of that Rooster Rousseau ended up on the concrete on his backside.


	9. Chapter 9

"You have got to be kidding me," Eddie said under his breath as he recovered from being run into by Rooster.

Now, if it had been anyone else, Eddie would have stuck out his hand immediately and helped the guy up. But, Eddie couldn't be bothered. Instead he just looked down at Rooster and shook his head in disgust. Eddie then turned around and started off down the street, lunch in hand, back towards Best Friend Windows. As he walked away, he grimaced at the pain the impact caused him. Rooster had hit him hard in his bruised rib area, but he didn't let on to Rooster, even for a second, that the impact caused him any discomfort.

Eddie didn't get far before he heard Rooster mouth off.

"Some manners you've got, Latekka," Rooster sputtered with genuine detest as he made his way back to his feet.

Eddie stopped in his tracks, dropped his shoulders, sighed deeply and rolled his eyes. He had a choice to make. Ignore the whiney, spineless Rooster Rousseau, or unload on him. Eddie counted to three and then he decided. Eddie spun around, dropped the bag containing his lunch, and took the few strides towards Rooster that he felt certain would make Rooster lose his vibrato and, quite frankly, scare the living daylights out of him. With one hand Eddie grabbed Rousseau by the shirt collar and made a fist with the other hand.

"Rousseau, you're calling ME out on manners?" Eddie asked in a menacing tone, "After what you did, you're calling me out? I don't think so, Rousseau."

"What I did? I wasn't the one kissing Rory Dunlop on my front porch while my girlfriend looked on. I wasn't the one who broke the heart of the best girl in the Ridge for a 'has been' cheerleader." Rooster was terrified of Eddie, but somehow managed to keep throwing stuff at him.

"Anyone else. ANYONE else can call me out on what I did. I was wrong. What I DID was wrong. But, not you. You know what Rousseau? You hurt Janet. Badly. And you know it. So, don't you dare try to call me out on my behavior. Not now. Not ever."

"She called me, Latekka. SHE. CALLED. ME. I hadn't heard that kind of sadness in her voice since back in 2000 when her dad died." Rooster retorted, always happy to throw his intimate knowledge about Janet in Eddie's face.

"Yeah, she called you. She needed a shoulder to cry on, but that wasn't enough for you, was it Rousseau? You saw Janet's pain as an opportunity. Didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?" Eddie was both angry and annoyed. Eddie was seething, and he hadn't let go of Rooster's collar.

At this point, Rooster had given up fighting his grip, but a crowd was forming. Including Nick who had become curious about what was taking Eddie so long.

Rooster had no retort. Eddie could have gone on, but he was truly a gentleman and as much as he hated having his dirty laundry aired in public, he felt the need to protect Janet even more. He released his grip on Rooster, but didn't step back. His next words were spoken just low enough for Rooster to hear.

"I always respected Janet's friendship with you. You, on the other hand, always looked down your nose at me, never thinking I was good enough for her. You thought you'd be better for Janet, right? Well, you were wrong, brother. Turns out, when all was said and done, neither one of us ended up being good enough for the best girl in the Ridge."

And with that, Eddie turned around, picked up his bag of take-out, and slowly walked back to Best Friend Windows with Nick close on his heels.

As Eddie walked away, his words began to sink in for Rooster. After hearing it from Janet ... and then hearing it from Eddie... Rooster finally began to comprehend his part in Janet's heartbreak. There was no question in Rooster's mind. Janet was important to him. He needed to find a way to gain Janet's trust and friendship back. But something else began to occur to him as well. After everything he'd seen, heard, and thought about Eddie Latekka -- was it possible? Was it possible that Eddie really loved Janet?

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"What was that all about," Nick asked in complete disbelief as he followed Eddie back through the door of BFW. It was all coming together in Nick's head, but he didn't let on to Eddie.

"Nicky, I'm not in the mood to talk about it." Eddie replied, tired and in a bit of pain.

Nick and Eddie had come a long way, and Nick wasn't going to blow things up, so he backed off, "Got it. In that case, hand over my lunch. I'm starving."

Nick and Eddie went back about their business, ate their lunch, and Eddie's thoughts turned back to Janet.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Around 5 o'clock, Owen Rowen came bounding into BFW looking every bit his normal happy go lucky self. Owen took it upon himself to put the 'closed' sign up.

"Quitting time. It's boys night out my friends." Owen loved his weekly night out with the boys. He and Allison had just moved back in together days earlier, and the two had come to an agreement on rebuilding their relationship and rebuilding themselves as individuals too. Allison had a girl's night out once a week. She was really clicking with Janet, Hannah and Pizza Girl and seemed to truly enjoy the time she spent with them. Owen had a boy's night out, along with 3 o'clock band practice on Saturdays, and Owen and Allison now had two date nights. One, an actual date, and the other night -- marriage counseling.

"Sounds like a plan, O Row... How about you Eddie? You haven't been to Sully's in a few weeks. That's gotta be some kind of all time record." Nick and Owen both looked to Eddie hopefully.

"I don't know, guys. I'm pretty tired," But looking up at the hopeful, almost pathetic, looks on his friends faces Eddie hesitated for a few seconds before raising his hands in the air in surrender and finally saying, "Okay, okay, I'm in."

Eddie had been putting off a return trip to Sully's because he didn't know how he would deal with seeing Janet there. But, the winds were changing and now he was pretty sure he would welcome the opportunity.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Owen, Nick and Eddie walked into Sully's and grabbed a high top table. Eddie had checked out the place as he walked in -- looking for Janet and watching out for Rooster.

He wasn't so lucky on either count; Janet wasn't there and Rooster was working, taking orders, just a few tables away.

The re-appearance of Eddie Latekka at Sully's didn't go unnoticed by Sully himself, who came over with a pitcher of beer in hand, hit Eddie on the back, and welcomed back his "best customer" with free beer.

"Good to see you, Latekka. Looks like you survived after all. I was beginning to wonder." Sully laughed good-naturedly, clearly happy to see Eddie at his bar again.

"Good to see you too Sully." Eddie replied, sticking his hand out to shake Sully's,

"Thanks for the beer. But, do me a favor and keep Rousseau away from me."

"Done," Sully said to Eddie with eyes that told Eddie he had deduced a bit of what had gone down.

"You know Sully," Eddie said looking around the bar, "I've missed this place."

"Missed this place, or missed my best bartender?" Sully asked, as he stepped away, not waiting for a response. Somehow Eddie knew, that Sully knew, he was asking a loaded question. But being Sully, that didn't stop him.

There was a bit of a silence as Nick and Owen looked at each other, Nick not knowing that Owen knew the back-story, and Owen not giving anything away.

"So, Eddie, is he right? Do you miss his best bartender?" Nicky asked cautiously. Nick knew one thing for certain -- Janet Meadows had been very good for Eddie. Owen just smiled at the question.

Again, Eddie was saved from needing to respond when Karen came over to take their orders. When she had left, Eddie had already decided on the next topic of conversation.

"So guys, what we need is a plan." Eddie said and just then he saw Ikey come in to Sully's. Ikey joined them at the table. There was still some tension between him and Owen, but the four were able to sit at the same table and have a conversation.

"Good timing, Ikey. We're just trying to figure out our plan of attack for the Big Cat take down." Nick lightly said.

"I'm not asking any of you to do this. No pressure. No obligation. This is serious business and if we get caught, it's won't be pretty." Eddie said, giving the situation the serious consideration it deserved.

"I'm in." Nick said, without flinching. Owen looked less certain.

"I... I can't. Eddie, I just can't. I'd do it if I could, but if I were to get caught? Allison would leave me for certain and I'd lose my kids." Owen laid it out there with the sound of sheer disappointment in his voice.

"I get it, O. It's fine. If I had a wife and kids, I'd feel the same way." Eddie let him off the hook. But there was a bit of something extra in Eddie's voice when talked about the possibility of a wife and kids.

"I should be the one. Eddie. And you know it. It should be me doing this with you." Ikey stated emphatically tapping the table.

Eddie and Ikey stared each other down a bit and it became clear to Eddie that Ikey was completely serious. And they both knew that their years of working side by side in landscaping would come in handy. Not being able to talk over the noise of loud lawn equipment, they had learned to read each other well. In the situation they'd be in, that would come in handy.

"You sure, Ikey?" Eddie asked to which Ikey replied, "Yeah, dude. I'm sure. You sure?"

Eddie raised his eyebrows and replied. "Not at all."

Nick looked both disappointed and relieved to realize he was off the hook. He flagged down Karen and asked her to bring them a round of Tequila shots. When the shots were delivered, Nick proposed a toast, to "To health, friendship, and to bail money." Eddie hit Nick's arm and they all laughed. Shot glasses clinked, Tequila was downed, and the guy's conversation moved on to questions about the Commander's health, and friendlier, happier topics, such as women and sports.

The guys hung out, and drank, for another few hours before a loud group of Knight's Ridge residents made their way into Sully's -- the Ray Cataldo/Hannah Daniels wedding party sans Sam Daniels. Hannah's parents were in town and staying at the house, so they had agreed to take Sam home. The group had come in after dinner out at the Italian Villa, in Bishop Flats, and were already well on their way to having a good time.

Eddie and Nick both watched the influx of new bodies into Sully's with extra interest, especially when the last two walked in the door. Hannah and her maid of honor Janet. Hannah was stunning in her emerald green dress while Janet stole the show with her little black dress and strappy black heels. Eddie and Nick were mesmerized by the sight of these two women. The two girls noticed the guy's table immediately and both smiled, and waived, as they crossed the floor to the opposite end of Sully's. Ray watched the exchange with great interest, and found his way to Hannah's side, putting his arm protectively around his fiancé, while casting a smug look in Nick's direction.

Janet grabbed the last seat remaining at the group's table and was unsettled to find that, from where she was sitting, she had an unobstructed view of Eddie -- and he of her. As conversation continued at each table, both Janet and Eddie found themselves less involved in the idle chatter and more focused on watching each other from across the room.

About an hour into the torture of seeing Eddie across the room, but not being able to talk to him, Janet felt her phone vibrate. When she looked at it, Janet saw that she had a new text message, "Meet me out back?"

Janet looked up and Eddie was gone. Janet smiled broadly, excused herself from the table, and rushed out back of Sully's as quickly as she could. That is, after stopping at the bar, and grabbing two shot glasses and a bottle.


	10. Chapter 10

Eddie slipped through the back door of Sully's. After the torture of watching her from across the room for the past few hours, he had just sent Janet a text message, asking her to meet him out back. Risky move, he thought to himself, after all, she may not even notice that she got a text message. Yep, this could be a long wait.

He took a look around the small paved area, and smaller patch of grass, that filled the space behind Sully's. No, there wasn't much here, a small loading dock, a bench where he and Janet had sat during her breaks and… 'talked'… when the weather permitted and a bit further down the back alley was the dumpster. Behind it? Miles of forest. It wasn't much, but it was quiet, and private.

While he waited, Eddie couldn't help but take a moment to appreciate what a beautiful a night it was. It was warm, but not humid, without a single cloud in the sky. Eddie looked up at the multitude of stars. The Ridge was far enough away from any good sized city that the depths of the universe seemed visible to the naked eye. That view was something that he had often taken for granted during his life in the Ridge, but not tonight. All the details seemed important tonight. And, Eddie's interest in the Milky Way, and beyond, did not go unnoticed by the one person who came to interrupt Eddie's private moment with the stars.

"Making a wish?" Janet asked as she stepped out the back door, carefully holding a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses. Eddie turned around and saw her, the best girl in the Ridge. The way she looked standing there, illuminated only by moonlight, took his breath away. Eddie just smiled and nodded his head as Janet walked up to him and handed him a shot glass.

"Hey," Janet said.

"Hey," Eddie said, looking down at the shot glass and back up at Janet.

Janet held up the bottle and poured some whiskey, prompting Eddie to ask, "What are we drinking to?"

"You tell me. I'm the bartender, remember? I pour, you toast." Janet said lightly with a bit of a teasing tone.

Eddie's mind went blank -- what to toast to? And, then Eddie -- being Eddie -- resorted to what he did best, charming the ladies.

"In that case, let's drink to that dress you're wearing. You look hot." He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head for emphasis to make sure she knew he meant it. In spite of her slight embarrassment, Janet clinked her glass against Eddie's glass and they both downed their shots. They tried, but failed, to conceal their reaction to the warmth, sting really, of the liquor going down their throats.

After a brief, and slightly awkward, silence that followed, Janet and Eddie tried to refocus on what brought them together, out back of Sully's, in the first place.

"So... you asked me to meet you out here. What did you want? Eddie?" Janet's was suddenly a bit nervous.

"To talk." Eddie said softly as turned away from Janet and walked a few steps before turning around and facing her again, "Listen, I thought you should know that I had a run in with Rooster today."

"Eddie, I..." Janet tried to interject but wasn't really sure what to say.

"It's okay. Let me explain." Eddie struggled a bit, "So Rousseau literally runs into me today and ... we got into it a bit. Rousseau called me out on how I treated you that day. And let's just say that I called him out on what he did."

She understood exactly what Eddie meant, and looked at him to give him a nod of support. Eddie continued, after a pause, and with a bit of amusement on his face told Janet, "For the record, I didn't hurt him."

Janet smiled at that comment but her head was spinning. She was trying to imagine how this Eddie/Rooster show down must have gone down, and how hard it must have been for Eddie to control himself and not hurt Rooster. Eddie had grown in this past year, whether he knew it or not.

"The thing is, I hate to give that little twerp credit for anything, but he... he really got me thinking about what I did, and didn't do, that day." Eddie made himself say it, "I pushed us... _you_... out of my mind long enough to try to recapture... what? A high school crush? I don't know what I was thinking."

"I can't throw stones, Eddie, but... what _were_ you thinking?" Janet asked with a bit of hurt in her voice. She had often wondered what drove Eddie that day and now she had a chance to ask it aloud.

That was his girl, keeping him honest. But, after trying to come up with a better response, Eddie only response was, "I have no idea."

Janet just nodded her head and looked down.

Eddie spoke more softly than he normally would, "Janet, point is, I know I should have told you about Rory. And I really shouldn't have kissed her. I'm sorry."

Janet looked up at Eddie, surprised at his apology. That wasn't something she had expected, or even required, of Eddie, "Thank you for that, Eddie."

Janet turned away from Eddie and walked towards Sully's loading dock. She placed the bottle and shot glass on the edge of the loading dock and then pulled herself up onto the edge, letting her feet dangle. Eddie had just apologized to HER for what he did that day -- for not telling her about Rory -- for kissing Rory. She knew that she deserved that apology -- but she had been so focused on her own actions that she hadn't spend a lot of time focusing on Eddie's mistakes. But, yes, they were both wrong. And they were both sorry. A wave of relief came over Janet as she allowed herself to let go some of her own guilt and sadness.

After a few moments, Eddie walked over to Janet. He placed the shot glass next to Janet's, and put his hands on the loading dock on either side of Janet. Standing there like this Janet and Eddie were eye to eye, and they could focus on nothing else but each other, "I've thought about this... a lot. It still kills me that you slept with Rousseau. And I still want to rip his heart out for touching you."

Janet just sat there and listened intently, it was clear to her that Eddie had really spent some time thinking this through.

"But someone I happen to respect, **_a lot_**, once told me that the best way around a disappointment was through forgiveness. " Eddie loved being able to give that line back to Janet, and Janet smirked hearing it, "Truth is, I've still got some work to do, but I'm really trying to get there."

"So what happens next?" Janet asked quietly.

Eddie had carefully shared his perspective, "We still have to fix… us. You have to fix that part of you that doesn't believe how beautiful and sexy you are. And I... "

And Janet finished his thought, "You need to fix that part of you that can't seem to trust, forgive or... tell people how you feel."

Eddie smirked and looking down a bit at Janet's quick and honest take on his flaws. And he knew he couldn't disagree. "Exactly."

"I get it, Eddie. I want to fix us too. Whatever it takes. " Janet stated firmly.

"Good." Eddie said.

"Good." Janet said back.

"So, we take this slow?" Eddie asked.

"We take this slow." Janet said, and then, with a mischievous look on her face asked, "But, Eddie, how slow are we talking? Slow like… 'On the Waterfront' slow?"

Eddie laughed, "Not a chance. I can't take that kind of slow again."

Eddie decided it was time to fix one of his flaws. He took Janet's hands in his and he made sure he had had her full attention. He looked deep into her eyes and simply said, "You know that I love you, Janet, don't you?"

Janet's heart almost stopped. Eddie loved her. Eddie told her he loved her. And, she was finally ready to say the words she had never said to another man before.

"I love you too, Eddie. So much." Janet told Eddie, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

Janet was acutely aware of how very close Eddie was standing to her as she could literally feel the heat coming off of his body. Eddie made no pretense of what it was he intended to do next. He leaned in, slowly and deliberately, and kissed Janet's forehead, then her cheek, before finally finding her lips and kissing her lightly with a soft lingering kiss. Janet couldn't stop the tears from coming. Not that she was trying. These were good tears. Happy tears.

Janet and Eddie's lips parted momentarily, but their heads stayed close and their eyes once again locked. Then Eddie leaned in, touching her face with both of his hands, as he kissed her again. This time Eddie kissed her with deeply and she responded by kissing him back with what amounted to absolute need. When they finally parted, Eddie and Janet were both out of breath.

"God I've missed you, Latekka." Janet grabbed Eddie by his shirt, pulling him back towards her for another light kiss.

Eddie smiled as he kissed Janet's forehead again and he once again put is arms around Janet, relieved that the weeks of pain and loneliness were finally over. Janet breathed in Eddie's scent, loving being that close to him again. Janet's hand found Eddie's and, at that moment, he felt the bracelet rub up against his arm. He pulled back a bit and looked down, touching a few of the charms. "You still wear this?"

"Of course I still wear it. It was from you." Janet said with pride and without any hesitation, and the way she looked into Eddie's eyes, told the story.

"Janet?" Eddie backed up a step, and taking both of her hands in his he asked, much the way he asked her the first time all those months ago, "How would you like to come out some time and meet Ernesto, the singing koala bear that lives in my attic?"

Janet couldn't help but smile and play along, "Eddie, are you asking me out?"

"I am." Eddie's conviction was a dramatic departure to the uncertainty he had felt, and shown, the first time around. "Is it a date?"

"It is, most definitely, a date." Janet said as she removed her hands from Eddie's in order to grab the bottle and the shot glasses.

"So, what are we drinking to now?" Eddie asked his very happy, positively glowing girlfriend.

"To Ernesto, or Ralphie, or any other talking animal you want to come up with to impress the ladies." Janet loved being playful with Eddie again.

And Eddie loved it too, "To you. The only lady I have any interest in impressing."

Janet took the compliment, and just smiled at Eddie, knowing that this was part of what she needed to work on -- believing in herself. And, with that the two clinked glasses one more time and downed their whiskey. Eddie leaned in for one more kiss, before helping Janet down off the loading dock. Then the two, walking hand in hand, made their way back into Sully's and reluctantly parted to rejoin their respective parties.


	11. Chapter 11

**xoxoxo This is a mini-chapter that really just contains subtext for chapter 10 and the stuff that, had this been a real episode, might have ended up on the cutting room floor. xoxoxoxox**

Eddie watched as Janet returned the bottle of liquor to the bar, and he watched as Sully gave her a fake scowl for her trouble.

And then he watched as she breezed past Eddie, walking ever so close to him, winking at him and then casually patting his back side on her way by.

And then he watched her as she returned to the table with the rest of Hannah's wedding party on the opposite side of the room.

Then Eddie finally made his way back to the guys table.

Eddie and Janet's smiles upon their return, the look in their eyes, along with the overt flirting, didn't go unnoticed by everyone who had watched the two leave the bar, separately, and then waited patiently for their return. When they walked back into Sully's together, it was obvious to everyone that Janet and Eddie's precious relationship was on the road to recovery.

Of course, Sully, Hannah, and all of the guys had pretended not to notice, or care, about the romantic tension that was so apparent between the two as they had watched each other across the bar earlier that night. But the minute they saw Janet walk out the back door of Sully's with a bottle of booze in her hands, Ikey, Owen and Nick had all high-fived and pounded fists.

Hannah had walked over and bought the guys a round of shots -- despite Ray's scowl of disapproval. Hannah was so excited about her friend's apparent chance at happiness that she just had to share the moment with other people who also cared about Janet and Eddie.

After the round of shots, Hannah returned to her table, but kept a watchful eye on the back door while Nick played look-out for the guys. Owen called Allison to fill her in, and then called Phil to make sure he was in the loop as well. Hannah and Nick couldn't help but trade looks of excitement, and approval, as they patiently waited for Janet and/or Eddie to walk back through that door. They were all genuinely invested in the romance between Janet Meadows and Eddie Latekka.

When Eddie finally returned to his table the guys may have acted like they hadn't noticed he'd been gone, but they laced their conversation with enough innuendo that Eddie was certain they were very aware of what went on with him and Janet.

Hannah made Janet go to the ladies room with her, almost immediately, after her return to the table. She begged Janet to spill every detail – and Janet complied and told Hannah _almost_ everything. Janet was able to share details of her re-found happiness with her best friend, but as always, she kept some of what went on between her and Eddie -- between her and Eddie.

And Janet and Eddie still watched each other across the room but everything was different now. The looks held more meaning, and a whole lot more hope.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

When Janet got home, the first thing she did was change into her most comfortable pajamas and robe. She took out her journal and began writing all of the details of this important night in her relationship with Eddie. She didn't get too far into her entry when she heard a vehicle pull up and then heard a knock at her door. She recognized the sound, one that she had heard many times before, but she still asked the question before opening the door.

"Who is it?" Janet asked.

"It's me." Came the beautiful, familiar and sexy voice, and a smile immediately came to Janet's face.

Janet opened the door about half way, and leaning against the door jamb asked, "I thought we were taking this slow?"

Eddie just looked at her, smiled, and nudged her back through the door. When they were both inside, Eddie closed the door behind him and pulled Janet into his arms. He kissed her with a hungry passion. Janet immediately stood on her tip toes and ran her hands up Eddie's chest towards his neck and kissed him back with an equally strong passion.

Eddie pulled back after a while but kept his arms firmly around Janet's waist. Janet raised her eye brows and gave him a look that begged this response from Eddie, "Yeah, I know. It was me that said we needed to take this slow."

Eddie tried to explain why he showed up, unexpected at her door, but all he could come up with was, "I got in my truck, and my truck just found its way here. I hope that's okay."

Eddie leaned in and kissed her again. When he finally pulled back, Janet reached up and ran her hand down the side of Eddie's stubbly face with a soft, intimate touch. Something she had wanted to do for a long time.

"More than okay, Eddie. You are welcome at my door, any time, day or night, Latekka. But, I warn you, don't you dare start something you can't finish." Janet teased but, at the same time, she meant it.

"I kind of feel like I already did." Eddie said with a slightly guilty look on his face, and a teasing tone. He stepped back a bit from Janet. "I'd **really** better leave."

"Yeah, you'd better leave, alright, Latekka." Janet said to Eddie, while stifling a yawn.

"And it looks like **you** need to go to bed." Eddie said as touched her hair with one hand and he reached for the door knob with the other.

Janet raised her eyebrows and gave Eddie a look that told him if he wanted to join her, he had an open invitation.

"Slow, Janet." Eddie teased as he leaned down, kissed her on the top of her nose, and found his way back out the front door but not before leaving Janet with another sweet memory, "Goodnight. I love you."

"Love you too." Janet whispered as she watched Eddie get into his truck and drive out of sight. And, then Janet closed the door and, for the first time in a very long time, twirled. If any moment deserved a twirl – this one most certainly did.

Janet soon was in her bed, alone, but she was happier than she had been in months. Eddie loved her. And he was well on his way to forgiving her. And, for this moment, life was good.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Eddie came home to find Pizza Girl and Phyz on the couch watching a movie. The grin on Eddie's face looked like it would be planted there for some time. Owen had called them earlier to give them the play-by-play so they knew something good had happened between Eddie and Janet. Phil pressed pause. This moment definitely warranted a 'pause press'. After some idle chit chat, but nothing that indicated why Eddie might be in such a good mood, Eddie wished them a good night and bounded up the stairs with lightness that neither PG nor Phyz had seen in some time. They gave each other a knowing look, Phil pressed play, and then snuggled in closer as they turned their attention back to watching their movie.


	12. Chapter 12

Eddie walked into Best Friend Windows Friday morning with a very non- Eddie Latekka grin on his face. And why not, Eddie was happier than he had been in a long time.

He had arrived at the shop before Nicky, as usual, so his first action was to make the coffee. However, when he turned around, Eddie nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw someone sitting across the shop on Nicky's desk.

Ikey.

After the beat down Eddie had suffered weeks back, he was jumpier than normal. But he couldn't decide in that moment if he was angrier at Ikey for his stealth arrival or at himself for not being more aware of what went on around him.

"Ikey, what the hell?" Eddie scolded as he felt his heart beat return to normal. "How'd you…?"

"Dude, I was sitting in my truck waiting for you. What's up wit you not noticing? Got other things on your mind?" Ikey ribbed Eddie.

"Something like that." Eddie replied, calming down, and unable to disagree.

"Sooooooo. We still on for tonight? " Ikey asked.

"Why? You having second thoughts?" Eddie asked without even the slightest hint of disapproval in his voice.

"Nah, not **me** dude. **You**. I just thought maybe now that your back to playing kissy face with Janet you might be a little less focused on getting back at the cat." Ikey enjoyed being the one friend who could somehow get away with teasing Eddie Latekka.

Eddie just stared down Ikey for his comments, "Nothing's changed. The plan is still to meet at the Old Mill at 9 o'clock. We good?"

"We're good. I'll be there." Ikey replied. Ikey walked up to Eddie and put out his fist. Eddie did the same.

And with that Ikey took off and headed to the work site and for what could be his final day ever working for Ray Cataldo.

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

Hannah and Janet stepped back in the door of the Ridge Day Spa. It wasn't as fancy as the name suggested, but they did have the full suite of treatments, and Julia, the spa manager had trained at one of the best spas in New York City before returning home to the Ridge.

Hannah and Janet got into their robes and laid on side by side tables for their facials. The lights were lowered while relaxing music and sensory delighting scents filled the air. As their temples were soothed, the girls began to do what the girls did best – when the facial process didn't stall their ability to do so -- they gabbed. Quietly.

"One more day, Hannah Jane, and you'll be married to Ray. How does it feel?" Janet asked in that wonderful relaxed state of bliss that one gets from a facial.

"It feels good, Janet. Safe. Ray's a good man. He's going to take good care of me and Sam." Hannah stated, also relaxed, but sounding a bit like her mother. It occurred to Janet that Hannah's words sounded almost like the marriage was a business deal. Where was the romance?

"Safe's good, Hannah. Romance is better. Just think about how you're going to feel, as you walk down that aisle in your beautiful dress towards the man you love." Janet loved the romance of a good wedding – even if she had her doubts about whether Hannah loved Ray or was 'in love' with Ray.

"Are you talking about me or you?" Hannah teased.

"Um, you, Hannah. I'm very happy with what goes on with me and Eddie. But we're taking baby steps right now and that's fine by me." Janet told Hannah, in her blissful place. "But, you? You're getting married tomorrow. Just visualize it, Hannah, you're walking down the aisle, everyone you know and care about is there, and then you see him, the man of your dreams, waiting for you, watching you walk down that aisle towards him. Very romantic. "

Janet laid the story out there, and Hannah let her mind wander. She was in the beautiful gown, in the church she had always dreamed of getting married in, she looked down the aisle and saw him, the man of her dreams waiting for her... Tall, dark and handsome in his tuxedo…

Nick Garrett.

Hannah was startled, and did her best to clear her mind, and replace that face at the end of the aisle with the man she was going to marry, Ray Cataldo. It was harder to do than she would ever admit, to anyone, even to her best friend.

"Completely romantic, Janet. Tomorrow is going to be nothing short of amazing." Hannah stated with conviction, but, once again Janet was left wondering who it was that Hannah was trying to convince.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Eddie and Ikey met up at the Old Mill as planned while Phil and Nick paced the floors together at 34 Gelson Road and Owen paced at this house, cell phone in hand. Phil had ordered them the craziest breaking and entering tools via the internet. High tech flashlights, gloves, night vision goggles, and more. But, Ikey and Eddie decided to play it old school: Just the cell phones on vibrate, keys, and their trusty small, but illuminating, Mag-light flashlights. They didn't even wear gloves, knowing that if they were caught, finger prints would be the least of their worries.

Neither guy pretended to be good at the breaking and entering gig. But, they checked out the perimeter, made sure the coast was clear, and after trying almost every key on the ring, Ikey found the one that opened the front door of Big Cat's mobile office. The two old friends then simply looked sideways at each other, breathed in deeply, and stepped into what could end up being the worst mistake of their lives.

When they were in, the two split up quickly, having already decided that Eddie would check the contents of Big Cat's desk and Ikey would go through the file cabinets. Every once in a while, one of them would check out the window for approaching head lights at the remote work site, but for the most part they put their heads down and looked for evidence. Eddie, and the gang, had set a strict time limit and, once that time limit was up, they were heading out with, or without, evidence of Big Cat's evil doings.

Eddie was studying the Cataldo Builders ledger while Ikey carefully searched the contents of various file cabinets. Some time had passed before the two even spoke a word.

"There's nothing here, Ikey, nothing that says bribe or pay-off. Nothing." Eddie whispered, disappointment filling his voice.

"Time's not up, Big Guy, we'll find something." Ikey encouraged.

There was a pause before Ikey let out a confused, "What the hell?"

That got Eddie's attention.

Ikey had reached under a pile of blueprint scrolls and carefully pulled out three large legal size dossiers. As Ikey ran his flashlight across the tops of the files he read the names aloud, "Daniels, Lausch, and… Meadows?"

"Now's not the time for jokes, Ikey. Don't mess with me." Eddie scolded. But he looked up to see the look of Ikey's face was completely shocked and serious. Ikey had already begun to thumb through one of the files and handed the other two to Eddie.

"What the hell is wrong with Big Cat," Eddie asked under his breath as he started to open the file that he figured had to be about Janet. But, before he could get any farther, he was surprised by the sound of the door opening and he was blinded by the strong beam of a flashlight pointed right in his face.

Busted.


	13. Chapter 13

The flashlight remained pointed at Eddie, blinding him. His eyes had adjusted to the dark, so the light was both blinding and painful. He raised his arm to cover his eyes, and tried to squint through to see who was on the other side of the light. His heart raced, and in his mind, he tried to imagine all the ways he could possibly get out of this bad situation.

Ikey, too, was frozen in place and he was unable to see who it was that had discovered them. His mind was also racing, but he came up with nothing.

The person wielding the flashlight didn't say a word. It felt like time stood still until he eventually lowered the beam of the flashlight to the level of Eddie's chest and, with that, the change in position allowed for both Eddie and Ikey to see who had joined them in the trailer.

Damn. It was Ray Cataldo's right hand man, Matt Lauche. Eddie's jaw locked with tension, this was pretty much the worst case scenario he had imagined.

After a silent standoff that lasted another moment, Eddie was the first to speak.

"Okay, Lauche. You caught us. What are you going to do about it?" Eddie challenged, noting that Matt wasn't holding a weapon or even going for his cell phone.

"Probably the last thing you expect me to do, Latekka." Lauche said.

Eddie was confused and getting agitated, "What's that supposed to mean?"

What he said next surprised both Eddie and Ikey, "I want to make a deal."

Eddie looked over at Ikey, and then back over at Matt, baffled by what Matt was trying to get at. After all, Matt was the one holding all the cards. Wasn't he?

"What kind of deal?" Eddie asked with caution.

"The file, dude. He wants the file." Ikey stated with confidence holding the file up so both Matt and Eddie could see it and running his finger across the lettering continued, "This one. The one with his name on it."

Eddie was suddenly getting the picture.

"You didn't look at it, did you?" Matt asked Ikey with an air of concern.

"Nah, man, … not enough time." Ikey lied.

And both he and Eddie noticed a look of relief pass across Matt's face.

"I need that file. But there is something else I need." Matt said without the confidence that a man in his position should have.

"What else you do want Lauche. Get to the point." Eddie was no longer scared, he was getting angry.

Matt paused before continuing, "I… I can't go to jail for what I did to you."

With that Lauche looked Eddie right in the eyes. Eddie didn't like what he was hearing.

"I can't make that deal, Lauche. The way I figure, I still owe you for what you did to me that night." Eddie was suddenly feeling more in control. Eddie Latekka was no victim.

"I thought you might say that, Latekka. Like I said, I want to make a deal." Matt stated and he went to his pocket and took out something shiny. There was no real room to back up, but Ikey and Eddie's arms raised a bit as they both did their best to move away from the shiny object now positioned in Matt's hand.

It took a moment for Eddie and Ikey to realize that the object in Matt's hand was far from a weapon – it was a hand held tape recorder.

Matt pressed play and Big Cat's voice spilled out into the air. And, to Eddie and Ikey's surprise, out streamed every gruesome detail of how badly Ray Cataldo wanted Eddie Latekka hurt and exactly where, when and how it was going to go down. Eddie struggled to keep the flashes of his beating from filling his head -- but he couldn't stop the chills from going down his spine. No question, it would take some time for Eddie to get the reverberation of Big Cat's voice out of his head.

"Latekka, you and I? We were never friends. But, I promise you this. I never wanted to walk into your business that day with Ray and trash talk you… or your girlfriend. I swear. And I swear I didn't want to have any part of that beating you took. Ray has been controlling my every move for a while now."

"Blackmail. Sounds like Big Cat." Ikey said with a growl of detest.

Matt placed the flashlight down on the desk in a standing position, illuminating the trailer before continuing. "Listen, I have a wife and child to support. I need this job. I wish I didn't. But I am done being Ray Cataldo's pawn. I can't keep doing his dirty work."

Matt looked downtrodden and, after hearing his story, both Eddie and Ikey believed him.

"One thing I don't get, Lauche. The file's been here. Why not take it? Why wait for us?" Eddie needed answers.

_That's when Eddie felt the vibration of his phone. That was the sign. Time was up. The guys would start to get concerned if they didn't check in soon. _

"Are you kidding me? Ray can't know I am the one who took this file. I saw Ikey get his hands on those keys and I knew what I had to do. And, that's why I've waited here, night after night, for you guys to show up." Matt explained, "Big Cat can't know I was here. And he really can't know that I gave you that tape. Somehow, some way, he has to think that Eichorn over there was responsible. "

Eddie and Ikey looked at one another. Ikey would never work another day for Ray once the word of that tape recording, or the missing files, got out.

Ikey signaled with a head nod that he was fine with it. With Big Cat being behind everything, Lauche was as much a victim as Eddie had been. And now that he knew _**for certain**_ what Big Cat was capable of? Ikey would rather go hungry than work another minute in the employment of Ray Cataldo.

"Okay. So, you get your file and I don't press charges against you. In return, we get to walk out of here with the files and that recording?" Eddie asked, feeling a bit numb.

"That's exactly right." Matt said, looking Eddie right in the eye.

Eddie paused. He looked over at Ikey, who simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay. It's a deal." Eddie said knowing that there was no other viable choice.

He extended his hand to shake Matt Lauche's. That was something Eddie never could have seen himself doing before.

Matt gave Eddie the tape recorder.

Ikey, in turn, handed over the file.

And, like that, Matt Lauche was gone.

Eddie and Ikey made sure to leave the trailer in the condition they found it, and headed down the road towards the spot where they had left Eddie's truck. On the way, the two were silent for a bit as they both tried to make sense of what had just happened, not to mention what they had found, and what would happen next.

"You really came through for me tonight, Ikey. I owe you." Eddie said with both relief and gratitude in his voice.

"You don't owe me nothing. Except maybe a job." Ikey smiled knowing that he was out of his most recent day job.

Eddie just nodded his head and smiled back. Somehow they'd find enough work to bring Ikey on board at Best Friend Windows. If they couldn't, the remaining Latekka Landscaping clients were all his.

"You saw what was in Lauche's file, didn't you Ikey?" Eddie asked.

"Yep." Ikey stated.

"Are you going to tell me?" Eddie asked.

"Nah, man, let's just let that go. It does nobody any good to know." Ikey stated. He wasn't sure why he was protecting Matt's privacy, even from Eddie, but he felt like he had an obligation. Matt was in some serious denial and Ray had been holding pictures of him, with his male lover, as blackmail. Matt had the file. It was now up to Matt Lauche to decide what came next for Matt Lauche.

"Fair enough," Eddie said as the two climbed into Eddie's truck with the files and tape recorder in hand.

Ikey called the guys to let them know the mission was accomplished and they were heading back to the house.

And, Eddie and Ikey made one quick stop on the way home. They went by the lake where Eddie threw the duplicate set of Big Cat's keys as far as he could into the deepest part of the lake. They were done with breaking and entering – for good.

And soon they were back at 34 Gelson -- with the two files and the tape recorder in hand. And now all they to do was figure out what all of this meant and what came next.

Right now the content of those two files, and their impact on Hannah and Janet, seemed far more important than any plan to take down Ray Cataldo.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo**

The gang, minus Owen – who was home with his family -- was gathered at Eddie and Phil's house.

Phil came into the room with beers for everyone and a grape soda for himself. They had just listened to the tape recording of Big Cat planning Eddie's beat down. It was difficult for everyone to hear the details of the planning of Eddie's beating spelled out in Ray Cataldo's callous voice.

"That's not right, Eddie. What he did to you, that's not right." Phil stated, shaking his head.

"No, it's not. And Big Cat's going to pay." Nick was fired up.

"I can't think about that right now. We need to figure out what goes on with these files that Big Cat was keeping on Hannah and Janet. I get the file on Hannah, he's always been infatuated with her, but what goes on with him keeping a file on Janet?" Eddie had to focus on what was most important to him, and there was no question, that was Janet. He took Janet's file and began to read it.

"How much money do you think Big Cat paid out in private detective fees?" Nick asked in awe as he began to sift through the file on Hannah. There were pictures of every innocent meeting she and Nick ever had. There were some shots of Hannah talking with Eddie. Even snap shots of her with Hippie Bob. It looked like Hannah was being followed by the paparazzi.

Ikey joined Nick to take a look at the file on Hannah.

Eddie sat by himself, reading the file that focused on Janet. After reading for a few minutes, he sat back and exhaled sharply. He had been confused before reading it. Now he was concerned.

Phil approached Eddie, "What goes on with that file, Eddie? Why would Big Cat have a file about Janet?"

Eddie just looked up at Phil and then handed him the file. Phil took his time reading, but when he finished he had more questions than answers.

"Do you buy it, Phyz?" Eddie asked, with concern in his voice.

"I don't know, buddy, I don't know what to think. You need to show this to Janet." Phil was shaking his head. Not sure what to make of what he had read.

"I know. But believe me when I say this … I don't want to." Eddie said shaking his head and raising his eyebrows. Putting the file aside, Eddie realized he needed to check in with Janet. He wasn't going to mention any of this – he just wanted to hear her voice.

Eddie walked out to the kitchen to privately place a call to Janet, but before doing so he checked his voice mail. He had one new message:

"Hey Eddie, it's me. I was just calling to see what was going on with you. I'm pretty tired. It's been a _**really**_ long day and tomorrow is going to be crazy with the wedding and all. I'm heading to bed, but I hope I get to see you at some point tomorrow. I love you, Eddie. Good night."

She sounded exhausted. Eddie knew one thing about Janet, if she said she was going to bed, she was done for the night. He'd have to find a way to talk to her tomorrow. With no one watching, he replayed the message one more time, just to listen to her voice again and to hear her say, once again, that she loved him.

When Eddie returned to the living room, he found Ikey physically holding Nick back and trying to talk him down.

"Nicky, hold your horses, dude. We gotta figure out what goes on next. " Ikey reasoned.

Nick continued, "I need to go and talk to Hannah. I have to show her this file. She needs to hear that recording. Hannah needs to know about this before she makes a huge mistake and marries Cataldo tomorrow."

Phil intervened, ever the calming voice of reason, "I hear you, man, but Ikey's right. We have to sit down and figure out what all of this means. It's late. You can talk to Hannah tomorrow. There's time."

Eddie added, "Phyz is right. I just got a voice mail from Janet. She's on her way to bed, and I'd bet that Hannah is too. There's no way we're getting to her tonight, Nicky."

"So, what _**exactly**_ are we going to do?" Nick asked, showing his frustration, "Hannah has a right to know who she's marrying. She needs to know what she's getting into and I don't think she deserves a major scene on her wedding day."

"We'll do this right, Nicky. I promise. But let's sleep on it and figure it out in the morning." Eddie insisted.

Nick took a minute to think it through. He knew the guys were right.

"Okay. I don't like it. But, okay." Nick conceded, looking defeated.

Nick and Ikey reluctantly left with a plan to return in the morning.

It would take Eddie some time to put those files down and settle in for the night. He downed a couple of shots of whiskey to take the edge off. And it took every bit of self control he had not to get into his truck and go to Janet's house and wake her up.

True to his word, they would figure it out. Tomorrow.


	14. Chapter 14

Phil woke up first. He came downstairs in his robe, put on the coffee, and starting making the pancakes. Just minutes later he heard the shower, Eddie was awake too.

Before Eddie had even made it downstairs Nick was already sitting at the kitchen table. It was clear from Nick's demeanor that he was still agitated, and judging by the dark circles under his eyes he hadn't slept well. Phil handed him a large mug of coffee and a plate of pancakes fresh off the griddle.

Eddie bounded down the stairs with the tape recorder in hand and both files under his arm. He was surprised to see Nick, who was the farthest thing from a morning person that he knew, was there already.

"Morning, Phil… You're up early, Nicky," Eddie said as he walked into the kitchen. From the looks of it, Eddie hadn't slept well either. He placed the files and recorder on the counter as he helped himself to a cup of coffee.

"I thought we'd better get an early start with the wedding being at 1pm. Four hours... twenty two minutes… and counting." Nick looked at this watch and then at Eddie. There was a sharp edge to his voice and for some reason his frustration seemed to be channeled, inappropriately, at Eddie.

Eddie just looked at Nick with a tired expression and shook his head as he sat down at the table directly opposite Nick.

"I get that, Nick. But, listen, we've got time. We go see Hannah, as soon as we finish eating, and then? She'll know everything we know. But, from there Nick, you have to accept that it's Hannah's choice what happens next."

Nick had to nod his head in spite of himself.

"So, Eddie, what are you going do about Janet?" Phil asked, as he dished pancakes onto a plate and Eddie began to inhale them.

"These look good, Phyz." Eddie said as he poured some syrup and then pushed a large fork full of pancakes into his mouth, "I've got talk to Janet to today. I'm going to show her the file, ...and hope for the best."

Eddie said the last bit with a mouthful of pancakes causing Nick to grimace at the sight of Eddie talking with his mouth full.

"Come on, man, does Janet let you get away with doing that?" Nick said half joking, half truly disgusted. Eddie just grinned at him with his mouth still full of pancakes, and the mood in the room suddenly seemed lighter, Nick continued, "So, what goes on with that file on her anyway?"

Phil sat down at the table and looked over at Eddie questioning him with his eyes. Eddie, who was onto his next mouthful of food, shrugged his shoulders and pointed towards the file. The file was within arm's reach for Phil so he grabbed it and handed it to Nick.

Phil and Eddie made small talk while Nick read the file.

Nick sipped his coffee and as he got into reading the folder, he almost spit the warm liquid out of his mouth. Nick choked it down before looking up at Eddie with raised eye-brows. "Huh? Are you kidding me?"

Before Eddie could explain, Ikey came strolling into the kitchen and overtook the conversation, "Physical Phil's World Famous Pancakes. Score. Dude, I haven't had these in forever."

Ikey helped himself to a plate of pancakes as Phil got up to make him a cup of coffee. Ikey turned the chair around backwards and sat at the last remaining seat at the table.

"So, what goes on?" Ikey asked looking around the room, and like Eddie, did it with a mouth full of food.

"Not you too," Nick said with a smile as he pushed his empty plate away. Phil put the coffee down next to Ikey and couldn't resist laughing. The guys all laughed -- but as quick as it came, the laughter was gone again and the room was silent. And silence was something that didn't happen often with the guys.

"Seriously, what's the plan?" Ikey asked.

"I think Eddie and I should do this alone," Nick said, "If that's okay, Ikey."

"Okay by me, dudes. More pancake time for me. I had enough excitement last night to last me into next year. " Ikey said as he plowed his way through his plate of pancakes, and Phil fired up the griddle again knowing just how much a motivated Ikey was capable of eating.

"And Owen's not even here yet." Phil laughed, looking at the empty plate that was recently fully stacked with pancakes, as he stirred up the batter to get it ready for the griddle.

"Ready to go, pal?" Eddie asked Nick.

"As I'll ever be," Nick replied.

"Good luck, guys." Phil said with his usual warmth, and both Eddie, and Nick, files and recorder in hand, patted Phil on the back before heading out the door. They made their way out to Eddie's truck with Hannah's house as their destination of choice.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

On the way over, Eddie called Janet's cell phone. No answer. So he left her a message.

"Hey, it's me. I know this is going to sound crazy but Nick and I are headed over to Hannah's. We're hoping to talk to both of you. Give me a call." Eddie glanced over at Nick and, in spite of seeing that Nick was paying attention, Eddie lowered his voice before softly saying, "And, Janet, I love you."

Eddie closed the phone and waited for it.

Nick looked over at Eddie with a surprised look on his face and then pounded Eddie on the shoulder, "Seriously? Eddie Latekka in love? I know I missed ten years, but I still never thought I'd see the day. Well, maybe I did. But never before Janet Meadows entered the picture. Good for you, man. Good for you."

Eddie smiled and rolled his eyes. That wasn't nearly as bad as he expected to get it from Nick.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

The ride was short, and before they knew it they were parked in front of Hannah's house.

Eddie and Nick stood at the end of the walkway and took a moment before looking at each other and deciding to 'just do it'.

They walked up to the house and Nick knocked on the door -- something he had done so many times as a teenager. And, as had happened so many times when he was a young man, the door was answered by… Hannah's mother.

Mrs. Daniels only opened the door part way, clearly demonstrating that she wasn't going to ask them to come in.

"Mrs. Daniels," Nick said with surprise, suddenly sounding so much more formal that just minutes before, "How are you?"

"I'm fine Nick… Eddie." Ellen Daniels said with very little emotion in her voice.

"Um, Mrs. Daniels, can I see Hannah?" Nick asked, sounding like he was 15 all over again.

Ellen Daniels could not believe that this was happening. Her daughter was getting married today. Married. After years of being a single mother, after years of Ellen worrying about her, Hannah was marrying a good man who could provide her daughter the security she needed. Nick was NOT going to mess this up for her daughter. Not again.

"I'm sorry, Nick, Hannah's not here right now." Ellen lied.

Eddie couldn't help turning back towards the road where he was sure he had seen Janet's car.

"Is Janet here?" Eddie asked, confused, and pointing his thumb back towards her car.

"Actually, no, she and Hannah are off getting their hair and makeup done for the wedding. Hannah drove." Ellen made up the story as quickly as she could, trying to make sure she didn't say anything wrong. Mr. Daniels had Hannah's car. All she could think was that he'd better not show up before she could get rid of them. She also took a quick look back to make sure neither Hannah, nor Janet, was coming.

"Okay. Do you know where we can find them? We just want to talk to them for a minute." Nick asked.

"I just can't remember what they said. And, wouldn't you know that I can't even call her because she left her cell phone here." She said shaking her head at the thought, and picking up the cell phone that was sitting on the table near the door and showing it to the boys.

Eddie wasn't sure, but the thought that Ellen might be lying occurred to him, so he tried his best Eddie Latekka charm, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Daniels, I know we're coming around at a bad time, but… see….this is all my fault. I'm not sure if you know this but Janet and I are seeing each other. I didn't get to see her at all yesterday and she's not answering her cell phone. I know this sounds corny, but I really just need to talk to her. If you could just tell me where I can find her, we'll get right out of your way."

"Sorry, Eddie, that's sweet and all, but I still don't know where to find the girls. Knight's Ridge isn't that big, so I'm sure you can find them if you just put your minds to it." Ellen wasn't a big fan of Eddie Latekka's and surely, after what happened that summer way back when, Eddie should know that.

"Okay, thank you, Mrs. Daniels," Nick said defeated as he turned around and headed back towards the car.

Eddie looked back at Mrs. Daniels. Was that a slight smile on her face? He couldn't be sure, so Eddie too turned around and slowly headed back to the truck. Something wasn't right, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It sure would make things easier if Janet would pick up her cell phone, he thought to himself, as he hit redial on his. He got her voice mail again and hung up.

"Where to?" Eddie asked as he pulled out and headed down the road.

"No idea. Let's start by driving down October Road." Nick suggested, not at all happy with the elapsing timeline. They headed off on a mission to check every beauty salon in the greater Knight's Ridge area.

Ellen closed the door, and pressed the power off button on Hannah's cell phone and slipped it under the cushions on the couch. She then headed to the kitchen.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Walking into the kitchen Mrs. Daniels took great joy in watching Hannah as she opened a gift from Janet. Ellen, Hannah and Janet, who Ellen liked to think of as a second daughter, had enjoyed a leisurely breakfast complete with Ellen's famous frittatas and Janet's famous mimosas. It had been a perfect morning and, if Ellen had her way, it was going to be a perfect day.

"Something new," Janet said as Hannah opened the box with the pearl earrings that she had admired while shopping a few months back. Tears filled both Janet and Hannah's eyes.

"These are way too much, Janet. Way too much," as she took them out of the box and put them on. "I love them, Janet. Thank you." Hannah said with genuine happiness and appreciation.

"So, that does it. You have something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver six pence for your shoe." Janet said as she reached over to hug her best friend, "And you, my dear friend, are getting married today!"

And with that, Janet and Hannah squealed in delight, the way only best friends can do with each other. Hannah was having a good day. She was finally getting truly excited to be marrying Ray.

"Okay girls. The clock is ticking. Let's get you over to Janet's house. It's time to get ready." Mrs. Daniels was so happy that things were set up the way they were. Hannah knew that her house would be full of family and other guests as the wedding hour drew closer, so the plan was for Janet, Hannah and the rest of the bridesmaids to get dressed over at Janet's. The hairdresser and makeup artist, who were friends of Janet's, were already set up in Janet's kitchen. The bridesmaids would meet them there about an hour before the wedding. And, Janet had a beautiful flower garden where pictures would be taken before the limo would come to pick them up.

"Okay, let's do this." Hannah said to Janet.

"Let's," Janet said, "So, tell me, when did you last talk to Ray?"

Janet and Hannah voices trailed off as they walked up the stairs to Hannah's room to get the rest of her stuff.

Hannah's mom took the opportunity to peek through Janet's purse and find her cell phone. Yep, it was on vibrate and showed two missed calls and one new voice mail message. Ellen deleted the call entries and hit the power button to turn her cell phone off. She then dropped it deep into Janet's purse.

She told herself it was for the greater good. Nick Garrett had broken Hannah's precious heart long ago, and he was not going to do anything to ruin Hannah's wedding day.

Hannah and Janet piled into Janet's jeep and headed off to Janet's house, which was in one direction, as Nick and Eddie made their way across town…

...in the complete opposite direction.


	15. Chapter 15

Nick got back into Eddie's truck. He was shaking his head and glancing sideways at Eddie as Eddie started the truck. Eddie ignored Nick as best he could.

"So, have you slept with every hairdresser in the Ridge?" Nick asked with a great deal of annoyance.

"No, Nicky. I didn't sleep with all of them." Eddie defended himself, a little annoyed by the question.

Nick stared him down with one raised eye brow.

"Okay, I did sleep with a few of them… more than a few, maybe. But, look, I'm a changed man now." Eddie said with diplomacy, "And, besides, it's not me you're mad at. You're just mad that we haven't found Hannah yet. I'm thinking… we should just go to the church. We're headed in that direction anyhow."

"Do we have a choice? I didn't want it to go down like this, Eddie. " Nick said with disappointment in his voice.

"Don't worry Nick. It's gonna work out." Eddie said … doing his best to convince Nick. And himself.

And, that's when he heard the unpleasant sound of sirens. He looked in his rear view mirror and his heart sunk. He looked down at the speedometer, and it told the story. Damn it.

Eddie safely pulled to the side of the road and prepared to give his license and registration as Nick's jaw clenched, his eyes rolled, and his hands went through his hair in complete frustration.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

It was a nice day in the Ridge. Not too hot, not to cold, but there were clouds off in the distance that threatened.

Janet stepped out of the limo first. She couldn't help but steal a look at her reflection in the limousine window. She was wearing a very flattering tea length dress in the most delicate shade of light blue. Her hair and makeup were done perfectly and she felt… beautiful. She only wished Eddie was there to see her.

That thought was interrupted by Hannah's emergence from the limo. Hannah was the definition of elegance in her beautiful wedding dress. It was a simple, full length, strapless gown with beads covering the bodice. She looked flawless, as if she had stepped right out of the pages of a bridal magazine.

But, what was that look in Hannah's eye? Janet thought she had seen an excited bride this morning… a glow… but now she wasn't certain.

As soon as Hannah stepped out of the limo, Sam popped out right behind her, and Mr. Daniels right behind him. Sam looked so handsome in his tuxedo, but the look on his face gave away his true feelings. He looked a little sad. Hannah, being the great mother she was, noticed immediately. She pulled Sam aside and, in spite of the constrictions of her fairly tight, and close-fitting dress, bent down to his level.

"You okay, Rockstar?" Hannah asked, making eye contact with Sam.

"Sure. Well, maybe. I know we talked about it but it just feels, I don't know… weird that it won't be just the two of us anymore." Sam put it out there.

"I know what you mean. I really do. But, I promise you. _On my life_. I may be marrying Ray today, but you, Sam Daniels, are the love of my life and always, always, always, my first priority. That will never change." Hannah grabbed Sam tightly and the two hugged for several minutes.

"I love you too, Mom. And, by the way, you look really beautiful today." Sam told his favorite person in the world, his mother.

The bridal party walked up the stairs of St. Vincent's into the entry area just inside the church doors. They would wait in here for the wedding music to sound. When Hannah got inside, she was quickly ushered to the far side of the room -- so she wouldn't be visible to the groom or to the majority of guests in the church.

Pizza Girl and Allison, who had come as each other's dates, were seated far enough back that they were able to get a sneak preview of the bridal party as they made their way into the church. Smiles and waves were exchanged between Hannah and Janet, and Pizza Girl and Allison.

And there Hannah waited. She and Janet made small talk. Mr. Daniels looked at his watch. Sam, who would be walking down the aisle on one side of Hannah, while her father walked on the other side, tugged at his ascot tie.

The music began. Hannah's smiled at her two cousins, who were Hannah's other bridesmaids, as they prepared to walk down the aisle. The first bridesmaid made her way down the aisle. The second bridesmaid began to make her way down the aisle.

It was Janet's turn to go down the aisle. She squeezed Hannah's hand one last time, checked Hannah's train, picked up her bouquet, and prepared to make her descent down the aisle as well.

Just as she prepared to take that first step, the outside door opened. Janet's glanced to the side fully expecting to see an apologetic late arriving guest. But, with that quick glance instead she saw the handsome face of Eddie Latekka. She smiled at him, thrilled to see him. But as she turned her head further she stopped in her tracks when she saw Nick step through the door of the church as well.

Eddie and Janet made eye contact, and Janet questioned him with her eyes, as he simply mouthed, 'wait.'

Hannah and Sam both noticed Nick immediately when he walked through the door and Hannah immediately began to look upset. The room started to spin a bit for her as she tried to make sense of Nick being there at that moment.

"Nick, you need to leave." Hannah said in a whisper as she walked towards him and made a gesture towards Nick, and Eddie, trying to mentally shoo them out the door.

"Hannah, this isn't the way this was supposed to happen, but I REALLY need to tell you something before you marry Ray," Nick tried to reason with Hannah.

Mr. Daniels tried to intercede, "Nick, I don't know what you're doing here…"

Hannah raised her hand to stop him, "It's okay, Dad, I've got this."

She turned to Nick. Confusion was turning to anger.

"You need to leave, Nick. You can't be here right now. I am marrying Ray Cataldo today and you can't do to anything to change that. Get out of here, right now, Nick." Hannah said as she pointed to the door, her voice quiet -- but filled with anger,"GO."

It killed Hannah to be seeing him, here, in this church. She had spent way too many hours trying to erase her hopes and dreams of marrying Nick Garrett for him to show up here, mess with her mind, and ruin her wedding to Ray.

Nick just looked at Hannah. She was stunning. He knew, without a doubt, that he still loved her. How had he ever walked away from her?

Nick and Hannah's eyes locked. And Sam tried to get Nick's attention. With no luck.

xoxoxoxox

At the same exact time, Eddie wanted to talk with Janet, so he put the files and the tape recorder down on the table inside the door, and ushered Janet off to the other side of the small room.

"You look beautiful, Janet," Eddie said as he and Janet stood there face to face, she clutched her bouquet in one hand and held Eddie's hand with the other.

"Thank you, Eddie, but what in the world is Nick doing here? Hannah is supposed to be walking down that aisle RIGHT NOW." Janet was whispering, but her stress was showing. And as much as she wanted to be looking at Eddie at that moment, she kept looking to the side to check on Hannah. She needed to get this crazy emotional situation resolved.

"We've been trying to get to you two all day. Believe me, Janet; we didn't want to be doing this right now. Not like this." Eddie stated.

"What goes on, Eddie?" Janet implored, "What exactly didn't you want to be doing right now – like this?"

Eddie leaned in and began to fill Janet in on what had gone on those past 24 hours.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

As the chaos continued, and time elapsed without Hannah making her way down the aisle, Ray made his way to the back of the church with Mrs. Daniels, Casper and Jasper not far behind.

"What the hell is going on out here? Garrett, get the hell out of here." Ray yelled as he tried to get to Hannah.

"Hannah Jane, what in the world is going on out here?" Mrs. Daniels yelled at Hannah -- as if the madness going on around her was Hannah's fault. Hannah threw her hands up in frustration.

Ray's mother grabbed Casper and Jasper and took them outside.

Pizza Girl and Allison came into the entry area and tried to get Nick to walk away from Hannah. Soon everyone was talking, shouting, trying to get their own points across. But the insanity was drowned out by a quieter, but altogether different, noise.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Ray's recorded voice filled the room. Everyone turned towards the direction of the sound and saw Sam standing there. He had found the tape recorder and had pressed play. All other noise ceased as everyone, except Ray, slowly walked closer to the tape recorder, surrounding Sam in a circle.

As Ray began to understand what he was hearing, he knew immediately there was nothing he could do to stop his world from crumbling. He looked at Hannah. She was looking at him, trying to comprehend was she was hearing. What had Ray done? What was he capable of doing?

Tears formed in Hannah's eyes and Ray felt a cold chill down to his bones. The one thing he had never wanted to do was make Hannah Jane Daniels cry. How beautiful she looked in that dress, he thought. How close he had come to being her husband, he realized. Ray struggled to come to grips with what was happening. He had been moments away from 'living the dream' and he knew, beyond a doubt, that his chance at happiness with Hannah, and Sam, was lost forever. He had worked so hard to carefully hide that part of himself from Hannah and now she knew it all.

Hannah listened for a moment longer. Still looking at Ray, she shook her head at him in absolute disappointment. She felt betrayed. Who was this man she almost married? The tears came with a vengeance. She looked Ray in the eye and simply mouthed the words, "It's over."

True to her word, her first priority was Sam. He was in tears as he listened to the voice of his would be step father call for, and plan to the letter, the brutal beating of his personal hero, and good friend, Eddie Latekka. Hannah reached for Sam and tried to take the tape recorder from him. But, Sam had heard enough. He threw the tape recorder to the ground, pushed his way out of the circle that surrounded him, and ran out of the church.

Nick looked at Hannah, "Let me go after him?"

Hannah just nodded her head, and Nick took off, like a shot, after Sam.

Guests began to leave through various doors, while others hovered towards the back of the church, enjoying the train wreck.

And that's when they heard it: the unmistakable sound of fist hitting bone. Ray fell to the ground, clutching his jaw. Everyone turned towards the sound and an audible gasp resounded when they all realized that it was Janet standing there over Ray, shaking her hand in pain.

No one was more shocked than Eddie, even though he had watched the whole thing go down. Watched as Janet walked away from him. Watched as she threw her bouquet to the ground. And watched as she threw a right hook at Ray's jaw. Ray had no idea it was coming, and the impact combined with the element of surprise, sent him falling to the ground with a thud.

"Not you too, Janet." Ray said with despair from his position on the floor, as he struggled to find his way back to an upright position.

Janet glared at Big Cat.

"Why not **me**, Ray? You had my boyfriend beaten. You broke my best friend friend's heart. And look what you did to Sam. You broke his heart too. What were you thinking? You could have had it all; dude, and you blew it." Janet said as she continued to nurse her hurting hand.

Eddie walked closer to her, and took her other hand in his.

"Come on, slugger. Let's get some ice on that hand of yours." Eddie said with a slight smile, as he tried to usher Janet towards the church's kitchen. This was Eddie's church, also, and he knew his way around.

"I need to stay with Hannah," Janet said, looking back at her best friend, who was surrounded by Pizza Girl, Allison, her cousins and her mother.

"This won't take long, Janet. Hannah will be okay for a few minutes. You, on the other hand, are going to feel that for a few days. Longer if we don't get ice on it." Eddie was convincing -- after all -- he had thrown his share of punches over the years. Janet let him lead her through the crowd towards the door to the kitchen.

Ray watched as his world crumbled around him. He felt alone and misunderstood. That's when he noticed the files. Sitting on a table just inside the door, he saw them. He walked to the entry way, and picked up Janet's file. And he knew.

"Lookie, lookie. What have we got here?" Ray said loudly trying, and succeeding, to get the attention of everyone in the room.

Eddie turned for a second, saw what Ray was looking at, but then continued to walk Janet towards the kitchen.

"Tell her, Latekka." Ray got louder, "If you don't, I will. The truth's going to come out. And, I want to be here when it does."

Everyone was watching Ray. Watching Eddie.

"Tell who what, Eddie?" Janet asked Eddie as Eddie once again stopped in his place. Eddie turned towards Janet.

"You, Janet." Eddie started to say.

"What about me?" Janet asked, confused.

Eddie walked over to Ray, snatched the file out of his hand, and walked back to Janet.

"Ray's been keeping a file on Hannah. He hired a private detective to follow her around." Eddie said with disdain for Big Cat apparent in his voice. He turned back towards Hannah who walked to the table where the file was sitting and picked it up.

"But, Janet, he kept a file on you too." Eddie continued.

"Why would Ray have a file on me? What kind of file?" Janet was so confused.

Eddie held the file out in front of Janet, "You need to read this."

Janet just looked up at him, she felt a little weak. Her head was a mess. There was too much going on. Hannah was hurting. Sam had run off with Nick in pursuit. Her hand was hurting. The wedding was off. And Eddie wanted her to read a file that Ray had been keeping on her?

"Just tell me Eddie. What's so damned important about this file?" Janet implored.

"Go ahead, tell her, Latekka." Ray insisted. Eddie glared at Ray and then turned his attention back to Janet.

"It says… It says in this file that Big Cat… Ray… is your brother. It says that you have the same father ... Jack Cataldo." Eddie struggled to get the words out.

Janet's first reaction was to laugh. But seeing that Eddie wasn't laughing, Janet just stood there feeling shocked and confused. She knew it couldn't be true. Or could it?

She looked over at Ray who suddenly had a smile back on his face.

"Hoo dee Hoo, Janet Meadows. Welcome to the Cataldo family." Ray said as Janet just shook her head in disbelief.

Janet's world, as she had known it, was once again turned upside down.


	16. Chapter 16

Eddie and Janet walked back into the main part of the church after going to the kitchen to get ice for Janet's hand.

Just as they did, the door to the outside opened and Sam walked in, followed closely by Nick. Sam immediately ran over to his mother and put his arms around her waist while Nick watched from just inside the doorway.

"Sorry, Mom." Sam said, burying his head against her.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, do you hear me? I'm the one who's sorry, baby." Hannah said, as she kissed the top of his head. She was crying again, but this time she had tears of relief in her eyes. Hannah had, of course, worried every second Sam was out of her sight and she was so happy to be hugging him that moment.

Hannah, still hugging Sam, looked over at Janet, "Are you okay?"

Janet looked back in surprise, "Me? I'm fine, Hannah. How are you holding up?"

Hannah took a second to think about that, and with a surprised look on her face told Janet, "Actually, I'm doing pretty well considering what just happened here."

Sam looked at him mom and she looked at him, and everyone in the room could see that the wheels in Hannah's mind were turning.

"You look like you're up to something, Mom." Sam accurately predicted.

"You know what I'm thinking? I have the back room of the Johnson Inn rented out. We paid for open bar and for about 150 plates of Filet Mignon and Grilled Salmon. Not to mention the most expensive cake I've ever bought in my life. I don't want to waste any of it. I say, let's have a party."

"You can't be serious Hannah," Hannah's mother stuck her nose in. Hannah just glared at her.

"Oh, I'm serious all right." Hannah said smugly to her mother, and then to everyone else in the room, "Call whoever you can and get them over there. We're gonna have a party tonight."

Hannah and Sam looked at each other, Sam was getting into the idea of a party, as mother and son high fived each other.

The gang headed out of the church and over to the Johnson Inn. Ray had taken the limo home, so Hannah and Sam jumped in with Allison. Nick with Pizza Girl. And Janet and Eddie took off together, taking a small detour before finding their way to the Johnson Inn.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"What are you doing, Eddie?" Janet asked as Eddie pulled off the main road and headed down to the lake.

"You know what I'm doing." Eddie said flirtatiously, "We got back together three days ago and I haven't been alone with you for more than 15 minutes."

Eddie pulled in by the lake, took off his seatbelt, and Janet did the same. It took about two seconds for Eddie to pull Janet into his arms and place his lips on hers. Softly at first, and then with an explosion of passion. Janet's arms wrapped tightly around Eddie and they kissed for several minutes before pulling back and just holding each other close.

After a bit, Eddie pulled back slightly and began to kiss Janet's neck; he kissed down her arm, and finally gently kissed the palm of her hand -- which he then held up against the side of his face, with his hand covering hers.

Eddie looked directly into Janet's eyes, "I'm sorry about today. Especially about the part where I announced to pretty much the whole town of Knight's Ridge that Big Cat Cataldo is your brother. "

"That was … Crazy." Janet said nodding her head with an amazed look on her face. "I'm so confused, Eddie. I really don't know what to think about any of this."

Janet looked off a bit and pondered the concept. "You knew my dad. And, you know how much I loved him. He was my best friend. I can't think about the possibility of him NOT being my father."

Even eight years later, she still teared up when she thought about him being gone. Eddie squeezed her good hand.

"Jack Meadows was a good man. He was the best baseball coach I ever had. I learned a lot from him." Eddie happily reminisced.

Janet smiled at the thought of Eddie knowing, and liking her dad, all those years ago. And vice versa. Janet's dad had played for a short time in the major leagues back in the day, and had been a bit of a local celebrity. Janet had been at many of Eddie's baseball games and that was where Janet and Eddie's friendship had formed, all those years ago.

"But… then there's my mother. The way she was? Walking in and out of me and my dad's life? When it comes to her … anything is possible."

Eddie reached up and stroked Janet's hair. He didn't know that much about Diane Meadows, but he knew she did nothing but cause pain in Janet's life. And even though she was nowhere to be found these days, after today, it seemed like she was still causing problems.

Janet looked at Eddie with a slightly concerned look on her face, "Do you think it would be okay if we just put the whole Ray possibly being my big brother on the back burner, at least for tonight?"

"Not a problem. If it were me? I wouldn't want to deal with the idea of Ray 'Big Cat' Cataldo being my brother either." Eddie said, "So, what do you want to think about?"

"You. Only you. I missed you, Eddie." Janet said, looking into Eddie's eyes, with emotion in her voice.

"Tell me about it. I didn't know I could miss somebody like I missed you Janet." Eddie related, but he couldn't resist adding, "And I'm pretty sure Phil was getting so sick of me -- and my bad mood -- that he almost left the house."

Janet and Eddie just looked at each other and laughed lightly, unable to stop smiling at one another.

Janet was happy and confident. So confident that she leaned forward and initiated another kiss. Not a quick kiss, not a soft kiss, but a 'knock your socks off' kiss for the ages.

When they pulled apart, and they REALLY had to PULL themselves apart, Eddie softly and oh so sexily said, "Now that's what I'm talking about."

"Will that hold you over, dude? We've got a party to get to." Janet loved how comfortable, yet hot, things were between her and Eddie.

"As long as I'm taking you home _after_ the party." Eddie said with conviction – kissing her one more time. All Janet could do was smirk and shake her head. She loved being in love.

Janet settled back in her seat and put her seatbelt on. Eddie buckled in as well and soon they were back on their way to Hannah's party.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Janet and Eddie walked into the Johnson Inn's back room, Eddie with his hand on Janet's back, and they were both surprised by just how many people had been gathered so quickly. Some were guests from the wedding while others, like Owen and Ikey, came when called. Allison's mom was in town, so luckily they didn't have to worry about a baby-sitter.

They made their way over to a table with Hannah, Nick, Sam, Pizza Girl, Owen, Allison and Ikey. There was only room for eight at the table, but they happily made room for Janet and Eddie. It was cozy. No one talked about Ray. Everyone had a good idea of what Janet and Eddie had been up to, so they were the targets of some teasing and zingers, especially from Ikey, as they all hung out at the table and enjoyed each other's company.

And, the food came and drinks flowed.

The photographer was still being paid, so she captured the smiles and laughter of the group in both posed and candid photos.

As the group talked, the melodic and harmonic sounds of Queen "You're My Best Friend" filled the room. No one got up to dance but the music set the tone as the group laughed, and talked, at the table. In many ways, this felt like a high school reunion.

When the D.J. played a slow song, couples from all over the room got up to dance. Owen and Allison headed to the dance floor, and they were joined by Ikey who reluctantly danced VERY platonically with a convincing Pizza Girl. Soon Janet and a slightly hesitant Eddie joined the rest of the couples on the dance floor as they swayed to the tune of Paul McCartney's "This Never Happened Before."

Sam politely excused himself and went over to another table with his grandparents, who were entertaining all of their family members from out of town. Nick and Hannah were slightly uncomfortable as they sat alone at the table. After an awkward silence, Hannah broke the ice.

"Nick, I never got to thank you for going after Sam." Hannah said sincerely.

"Sam's my friend. I was worried about him. Not to mention that it was the least I could do, Hannah, after breaking up your wedding like that. I swear that I didn't want it to happen like that. That's why we stopped by your house this morning." Nick explained as he took a sip of his beer.

"You did? Oh, right, we went over to Janet's around 10:30am…" Hannah said, as she dug into her cake.

"No, we were there earlier than that." Nick maintained, as he dug into his cake. Hannah thought for a second before beginning to see red.

"Really?" Hannah said as she realized what must have happened. Shaking her head and gritting her teeth she continued, "My Mother. When will she learn?"

Nick got the picture too. Unlike Hannah, he couldn't blame Hannah's mom for being protective – after what he had done all those years ago.

"So, what do you say we have some fun with her?" Hannah asked, a sparkle returning to her eyes.

"What do you have in mind, Hannah?" Nick asked skeptically.

"I think we should dance," Hannah said mischievously grabbing Nick's arm and dragging him to the dance floor where, as if on cue, the DJ played another slow song, The Pretenders "I'll Stand by You".

Everyone, with the exception of Ikey and Pizza Girl, stayed on the dance floor with Hannah and Nick.

"I don't know about this Hannah," Nick tried to interrupt Hannah's plan, but she had other ideas. Hannah stepped into Nick's slightly stiff arms and danced close to him, but talked in his ear the whole time, giving him a play by play of how her mother was watching them -- noticeably bothered by the site of the two of them dancing together.

Owen and Allison seemed lost in their own little world. Janet and Eddie were intrigued by the site of Nick and Hannah joining them on the dance floor. And Sam was across the room – beaming.

"Hannah, I think you've proved your point," Nick said, looking and feeling noticeably uncomfortable being that close to Hannah, in her wedding dress, without it being real. His feelings were real. And Hannah was getting dangerously close to him, seeming to relax in his arms the more they danced.

Hannah put her head on Nick's shoulder as another slow song began to play, "One more Nick. Please?"

Yes, Hannah had lost interest in annoying her mother, as the sheer exhaustion and pure emotion of the day seemed to catch up with her as melted into Nick as they danced to the sound of the Goo Goo Dolls 'Iris'.

Nick gave in – just a little bit to his feelings – as he tightened his arms around Hannah.

He couldn't see her face but he could sense when her tears came. As did Janet. Hannah and Janet made eye contact and Janet knew her best friend needed her. Janet left Eddie standing alone on the dance floor as she took Hannah's hand and led her to the ladies room, where Hannah finally allowed herself to give into the hurt and sadness of what she had lost that day.

Nick's mind swirled as he watched Hannah walk away.

Eddie hit Nick on the arm and motioned him towards the bar where Ikey and Owen joined them to do a shot. Somehow the guys had to signify the ending of this crazy adventure that began with the break-in at Ray's trailer.

And the party broke up shortly thereafter.

As they parted, Hannah and Nick glanced at each other and gave each other a half wave from across the parking lot.

Before getting into the car with Owen and Allison, Nick couldn't resist looking up at the moon and thinking about what could have been – the juke box, the spaghetti, and Hannah, on the moon.

And, as promised earlier, Eddie brought Janet home. He walked her to the door, but stopped there.

"Coming in?" Janet asked hopefully.

"Not tonight." Eddie said as he leaned down and kissed her lightly, "Not yet."

Eddie knew that if he walked through the door he wouldn't walk back out that door until morning. As much as he loved her, and as much as he wanted to do stay, he wasn't quite ready for what came next. They still needed to take things slow -- at least when it came to the next step in their reunion.

"Okay. Slow's okay." Janet said as she ran her hand over Eddie's chest. Slow wasn't actually working for her, but they were playing this on Eddie's terms.

"Good night," Eddie said and he kissed her one more time before jumping back in his truck and heading home.

xoxoxoxoxoxox


	17. Chapter 17

Eddie was, once again, the first one to Best Friend Windows Monday morning, even though he'd actually slept in a bit. He made the coffee and pulled out three mugs. One for him, one for Nick and one for their new partner, Ikey.

Eddie started working, but his morning got off to a rough start with his computer giving him a hard time. He was about ready to throw it through the front window when he heard the front door open, not looking up, he gruffly said, "Coffee's on."

Eddie was stunned by what he heard next.

"Thanks, sweet heart, I'm all set."

Eddie didn't look over. He knew. And, he did not want to deal with this today or, really, any day. He stared at the wall in front of him and asked, while gritting his teeth, "What are you doing here, Rory?"

When he didn't get an immediate reply, Eddie turned around and took a look. She was standing there, water bottle in hand, in a black running suit. Tight fitting. Low cut. Eddie was frozen in place for a moment as he brain got stuck in loop. Not again. No, not again.

"I asked what the hell are you doing here, Rory." Eddie said, his mind racing, his only thought – I've got to talk to Janet.

"Visiting a friend. At least I _thought_ we were friends, Latekka." Rory said pouting a bit, acting put out by Eddie's question and attitude.

"Listen, I mean no disrespect Rory, but we can't be friends. The last time you were here? I almost lost the best thing that ever happened to me. I can't risk that again." Eddie said with complete honestly as Nick made his way into the shop.

"Rory Dunlop. Good to see you. How have you been?" Nick asked, a little entranced by Rory, but concern was written all over his face.

Nick gave Eddie a look that said, what the hell do you think you're doing.

"Nicky, it's so good to see you." Rory said with a flirtatious lilt to her voice, "But, do you think you could give Eddie and me a minute alone to talk?"

Nick looked at Eddie who was begging him not to leave with his eyes. This time, he listened.

"Actually, Rory… no. I can't do that. What went on the last time I left you two alone set off a course of events that almost cost Eddie the love of his life. I can't let that happen again." Nick said, defensively crossing his arms over his chest, and giving Rory a look that told her that he meant it.

"Love of his life? Come on, Janet Meadows cannot be the love of your life, Eddie." Rory stated emphatically to Eddie and then conveyed the same message to Nick with her eyes and the quick shake of her head. Eddie just shook his head.

"Janet makes me happy, Rory. To be clear, that means 'not sad'. Do you get that?" Eddie let Rory know that he knew her game.

"All I'm saying, Eddie, is you have options. You don't have to settle." Rory said as she walked closer to Eddie and tried to reach up and touch his chest. Eddie recoiled from Rory's touch, stepped back and grabbed for his cell phone. The idea of calling and telling Janet about Rory's visit was all consuming for him.

"Thanks for your concern, Rory, but I'm not settling with Janet. If you ask me? Everything I did _before_ Janet was settling. _Everything_." He emphasized the last word, aiming it right at Rory.

Rory was speechless.

"Good bye, Rory." Eddie said. Not, a 'see you later'. Or, a 'take care'. A firm and permanent 'good bye'. Rory was beside herself.

"Bye, Rory." Nick said as he ushered her to the door and watched as she began to jog out of sight. And he kept watching, causing Eddie to walk over and smack him upside the head.

"What the hell was that?" Nick asked, as he came back to his senses.

"That was the past. If you will excuse me, I've got to call my present." Eddie said, raising his eyebrows and exhaling sharply.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Hey, beautiful," Eddie said with as much charm as he could muster. He had tried her several times before getting in touch.

"Hey, Eddie," Janet said back. She had just arrived at the bar, and was just about to get out of her car.

"I need to tell you something…" Eddie started, but was quickly cut off by Janet.

"Is it important, Eddie? Because I hung out with the girls this morning to gab and lost track of time. I'm running really late for work." Janet asked, not wanting to put Eddie off, but knowing that she needed to get to work.

"If you consider Rory Dunlop stopping by Best Friend Windows this morning as important -- yeah -- it's important, Janet," Eddie said.

"Seriously?" Janet said under her breath. Her mind raced. Why did she still fear Rory so much?

"You okay, Janet?" Eddie asked, knowing her so well, "Nothing happened. Nothing at all. I love you, Janet."

"I know, Eddie. I love you too. And, I believe you." Janet said, "I'll talk to you later?"

"Later." Eddie said and hung up.

And with that Janet hung up and tried to regain her composure before walking into Sully's.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

About an hour into her shift, Janet looked up to see Rory walk into Sully's. Somehow, she had been expecting this visit. Janet took a second to check out Eddie's ex.

Rory looked – perfect. Perfect hair, perfect makeup, perfect outfit – jeans and a simple t-shirt, which probably cost at least 500 dollars from a boutique, as opposed to the 80 dollar pair of jeans Janet was wearing from a department store that Janet, the bargain hunter, had got on clearance for 18 bucks. Rory walked right up to the bar and sat in Eddie's usual seat. Janet just shook her head.

"What can I get you, Rory?" Janet asked, none too pleased to be dealing with this right now.

"Garden salad with grilled chicken, light Italian on the side. And, a diet coke." Rory ordered sweetly.

"Coming right up," Janet said without her usual enthusiams, turning and sending the order into the kitchen. She poured the diet coke and placed it in front of Rory with a straw.

Unfortunately the place was dead, so Rory, and a few regulars were the only people Janet had to take care of, and she was the only bartender/waitress on shift right now, so there was no avoiding. Janet began wiping down the bar.

"So, Janet, I've been told that you're the girl who has set Eddie Latekka's heart on fire." Rory set off the first round. Smiling, but dangerous.

"That's one way of putting it, I suppose, Rory. But, you knew who I was the last time you came in here, telling me how sad he was… Isn't that right?" Janet asked pointedly, letting Rory know she was onto her.

"Maybe. Can't blame a girl for _sizing up_ her competition." Rory sent a dagger through Janet.

That was just about enough from Rory Dunlop. Janet didn't need to hear any more. Janet threw her rag on the counter, looked Rory in the eye, and gave her a piece of her mind.

"You know what, Rory? This isn't high school. There is no competition. This isn't about who's going to be prom king or prom queen. This is real life. This is real love. And Eddie and me? We're a couple. We're in love. Game over. " Janet was getting the hang of this and she was confident in Eddie's love for her.

Rory was silent for a few minutes. And, Janet started to work on wiping down the liquor bottles behind her. After a few moments, it seemed that a different version of Rory Dunlop appeared. She seemed to be looking at Janet with a different set of eyes.

"How did you do it?" Rory asked simply, when Janet turned around she saw something she hadn't seen before from Rory – vulnerability.

"How'd I do what?" Janet asked, sincerely confused by what Rory was wondering.

"How'd you get Eddie Latekka to open up his heart and give it to you? I tried. So hard. All through high school. But, his heart was closed up so tight, he never budged. Why do you think I took off with Mark? I left Eddie, because I knew he was going to leave me. He didn't love me, and I knew he never would." Rory seemed sincere.

Janet just sat there, stunned, confused, becoming a little vulnerable herself. She hadn't expected to be having this type of conversation with Rory. Ever. Janet dropped her guard and slowly shared her feelings for Eddie with Rory.

"I don't know, Rory. We were friends first I suppose. We've known each other since we were kids... We laughed a lot. Lord knows we drank a lot of shots together…" Janet got lost a little bit, recalling her past with Eddie. "I guess I never let him get away with any of his old Latekka bull shit. I called him out when he was being a jerk, or too full of himself, and he ... always made me feel accepted and like I mattered."

Janet just looked at Rory, still surprised that she was saying all of this to the woman she had feared so much when it came to Eddie. Rory was intently listening.

"No one was more surprised about us becoming 'Janet & Eddie' -- the couple. I never thought about Eddie Latekka falling for me. Me falling in love with him. I was happy, or so I thought, just being his friend. But what we've become? I feel like I'm the luckiest person on the planet every time I'm in his arms. I love him, Rory."

Rory looked at Janet, and seemed to see her true beauty for the first time.

"I am in awe of you, Janet Meadows." Rory said with slightly watery eyes. Janet was stunned. She just looked at Rory with a new set of eyes, and perhaps, looked at herself with a new set of eyes as well.

Rory's salad came, and she sat there in silence eating.

Rooster came walking in and was stunned to see who was sitting there. He made eye contact with Janet, who hadn't made eye contact with him in months, and Janet simply shrugged her shoulders. Janet was entertained by Rooster falling all over himself to talk to Rory once again. Rooster took over Rory as a customer, leaving Janet to do some bookkeeping at the end of the bar.

When Rory went to leave, she walked over to Janet.

"Good bye, Janet." Rory said, adding wistfully, "I think I've made my last trip back to the Ridge for a while. Take care of yourself. And, take good care of Eddie's heart."

The whole thing -- the whole conversation with Rory -- just seemed impossible.

"Good bye, Rory." As Rory started to walk away, Janet looked off a bit, and tapped her pencil on the counter. She had one more question for Rory. Did she dare ask it?

Yes, she did. She called out to Rory, just as she was pulling at the door to open it.

"Rory, one more thing." Janet said, jumping off of the bar stool and walking over to Rory.

Rory slowly turned around, slightly confused, "Okay."

"Why did you come here? Not today I mean. The last time. What made you come here?" Janet pleaded with Rory. She needed to know.

Rory looked at Janet, and Janet could tell that Rory was having a hard time deciding whether to tell her or not.

"Please, Rory." Janet begged.

"Okay.... Here goes. I'm broke, Janet. The divorce killed me. He cheated, but he had connections, he made me look worse. I ended up walking away with next to nothing. And I'm not 20 anymore, the modeling jobs have slowed **way** down. So, when I got a note from Ray Cataldo promising me plane fair and a big juicy check just for making an appearance in Eddie's life? I hopped on the first plane."

Janet's blood pressure sky rocketed; of course it was Ray, "The note… What exactly did the note say?"

Rory hesitated before admitting, "It said that Eddie was miserable, sad, in a bad relationship -- you name it. Ray made it sound like he had become Eddie's best friend and that he just wanted to help him out. I wanted to believe it. It seemed like a win/win situation to me. He was wrong… but so was I. He brought me here the first time… but I came on my own this time. I still thought I had a shot with Eddie. But, don't worry, I know the score. I'm smart enough to know that Eddie is off the market. For good."

Rory tapped Janet on the arm, and left.

Janet wanted to scream about Ray. It was one thing after another with him. He was no brother to her and she wanted to prove it. She knew what she had to do. Sully wasn't around, so she gave him a call.

"Hey Sully, it's Janet. I have tomorrow and Wednesday off. Can you handle things without me on Thursday too? There is something I have got to do."

Sully gave her his blessing and, when her shift was over, Janet went home to pack a bag.

xoxoxoxoxox

Eddie walked into Janet's house and called her name.

"I'm in here, Eddie." Janet called from the bedroom. Eddie hadn't been in her bedroom since before the Rooster incident.

He walked to the doorway between the living room and bedroom, stopping short of actually walking in, and watched what Janet was doing. She had a suitcase on the bed, he noticed her journal sitting right on top,and she was just closing it when Eddie arrived.

"What goes on here, Janet?" Eddie asked, confused, pointing to the suitcase.

"I need to see my grandparents, so I'm heading to Rhode Island for a few days." Janet said with hesitation in her voice, realizing she really should have called Eddie.

"Were you going to bother to tell me?" Eddie's voice was slightly harsh, he was obviously hurt.

"Dude, are you kidding me? Of course I was. I was just – focused. You know how I am once I get something into my head." Janet walked towards Eddie, trying to sooth the hurt he was feeling.

"Why this sudden need to go to Providence? Is this about Rory?" Eddie asked, feeling a little dejected, as Janet reached her hands up his chest and around his neck and he instinctively reached his arms around her waist.

"Believe it or not? Rory and I actually... cleared the air." Janet said, giving Eddie a knowing look, "I'm more focused on Ray. I'm guessing that my grandparents know the truth about whether my dad… was my dad. I need to talk to them. In person."

She paused before continuing, "Eddie, they may not even be my real grandparents." Janet's eyes filled up.

"Janet, no matter what, they're always going to be your grandparents," He said softly, "So… When are we leaving?"

"We?" Janet said with surprise.

"We. But, no musicals this time." Eddie stated emphatically. Janet just beamed at Eddie.

"I can handle that. No musicals. Pack a bag…we're going to Rhode Island," Janet winked at Eddie. She stood on her tip toes and kissed him softly, and within seconds Eddie had taken over, and the kiss grew deeper and more passionate. It was clear they both wanted, needed, to take that kiss to the next level, but once again Eddie pulled back -- much to Janet's disappointment.

They ordered Chinese take-out, and decided to leave for Rhode Island early the next morning.


	18. Chapter 18

It was a gorgeous day. Sunny, 80 degrees and altogether perfect.

Janet and Eddie got out of Eddie's truck and stretched a bit. They had done the two plus hour drive without stopping. The assisted living community where Janet's grandparents lived was just outside of Providence, RI as was the hotel where Janet and Eddie were staying. Motels were probably more in their normal budget range, but Janet got a great last minute deal online for a beautiful hotel.

"I'll get the bags." Eddie said and he was rewarded with an appreciative smile from Janet who went to check in.

When Eddie walked in with the bags, he noticed the Red Sox were playing a day game that had just started, and it was being shown on the flat screen TV in the lobby. He stopped in his tracks to watch the sox at bat.

When Janet finished checking in, she walked over to Eddie, but she had a slightly perplexed look on her face.

"What wrong, Janet?" Eddie asked, glancing between her and the TV, still distracted by the action happening on the screen as Kevin Youkilis hit a 2 out, 3 run, first inning home run, sending the Red Sox ahead. Janet was too focused on her concern to be distracted by even her Red Sox. Eddie yelled out his approval as Youkilis rounded the bases.

"Um, Eddie. You know, I never even thought about… I didn't think to ask… Eddie, I only booked one room. Is that okay?" Janet stammered a bit.

Eddie was no longer distracted. Janet had his full attention.

"Why wouldn't we share a room?" Eddie responded slowly – with a confused expression on his face --trying to figure out where Janet was going with this.

"Come on, Eddie. You haven't… We haven't… It's been **a month** since we got back together and we haven't slept together once. Not even SLEPT." Janet whispered for fear of being overheard, and even more quietly, but with a more flip attitude…"_Never mind anything else_."

Yep, Eddie was now completely and totally focused on Janet. He just looked at her, loving her, appreciating how hard it was for her to call him out on that…. He ran his hand through his hair and was silent for a moment. He liked to think of himself as high on the intuitive scale when compared to other men. Not this time. If Janet only knew how much he was looking forward to sharing a bed, and what came with sharing a bed, with her. But, he hadn't thought much about what Janet might be thinking. He mentally kicked himself for that.

"I haven't been really good about telling you what goes on with that, have I?" Eddie said sheepishly, feeling like a bit of a cad.

"Not even close, Latekka." Janet admitted, smiling up at Eddie just a bit.

"Okay, I can fix that. I swear. Let's go to our room and talk," Eddie said, kissing Janet lightly, before grabbing the bags and heading for the elevator. Janet just stood back for a second. Still confused, but more importantly, still so in love. She shook her head from side to side before catching up with Eddie.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Janet and Eddie had just walked through the hotel room door when Janet's cell phone rang. She looked at Eddie apologetically as she answered.

"Hey, Gram. How are you?" Janet had a different tone with them than she had with anyone else, as sweet as she was with everyone else; the best of her was reserved for them. She walked over to check out the view from their window as she talked to her Grandmother, "Sure. No, we haven't eaten yet. Oh…. That's fine. Yep. No. That's fine... I understand. See you soon."

Janet closed her phone and looked at Eddie, who had already put the suitcases on the suitcase stands, kicked off his shoes, laid down on the king sized bed, and turned on the TV.

"So, I hate to do this, but can we table this conversation for a bit? Grams and Gramps have a shuffle board tournament at 4, and dinner plans with the MacKillop's next door at 6, so they can _squeeze_ us in for lunch," Janet said with a huge grin, always surprised, and thankful, by how active her grandparents were.

"They put us to shame, don't they?" Eddie laughed, turning his head to the side to look at Janet. Janet just nodded.

"So, we're on our own tonight, but they've cleared their whole schedule tomorrow for us." Janet shared. Still chuckling. Eddie got off the bed and quickly put his shoes back on.

"Okay, let's go." Eddie said with enthusiasm, but as Janet made her way across the room to the door Eddie grabbed her arm and spun her around. Her momentum caused her to crash right into Eddie's strong arms, which he clasped around her tightly as he adeptly leaned in and kissed her passionately. Deeply. It was a quick kiss, but the kiss was intimate, telling. Eddie stopped kissing Janet, but didn't immediately release her from his arms. He didn't say a word, but he and Janet connected with their eyes. That look said more than any conversation about sex ever would. Eddie reluctantly released Janet and grabbed the clicker to turn off the TV.

"Let's move, Dude. The grandparents are starving and so am I." Janet said, as she grabbed Eddie's hand and led him out of the room. Eddie grabbed his keys on the fly with one hand, as he interlaced the fingers of his other hand with Janet's.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"Eddie!" Janet's grandmother, Edith, yelled from across the restaurant, causing half of the small family style Irish pub to turn and look at the tall, good looking man who had entered the room.

"That's great, Gram. Thanks for being glad to see me." Janet teased her grandmother as they met half way across the room and embraced. Janet's grandfather, Henry, moved slightly slower, and by the time he arrived at the spot, Janet's grandmother was releasing Janet and putting her arms around Eddie.

"There's my little girl," Janet's grandfather said sweetly as Janet put her arms around him. Their bond so meaningful. Janet was misty eyed and emotional, "Hi, Gramps, I've missed you. So much."

Janet turned her attention back to her grandmother, and the two of them walked back to the table arm in arm.

"Eddie," Henry said, extending his hand, and greeting Eddie with a firm handshake, a wink and a smile.

"Henry, good to see you again." Eddie said and meant it. He really was crazy about Janet's grandparents.

Eddie and Henry made their way to a booth near the back, and Eddie excused himself for a moment to go to the men's room. And, he may have stalled in there just a moment to give Janet a few moments of alone time with her grandparents. It didn't take long for the conversation to turn to the man in their grandaughter's life.

"We love him, Janet. We LOVE him. Don't you dare let him go." Edith beamed with approval.

"He is a good man, baby girl. We just want you to be happy." Henry reached across the table and patted Janet's hand.

"I am happy. You guys have to know that Eddie and I are really good. I'm really good." Janet assured her grandparents, as Eddie sat down in the booth and placed his arm around Janet's shoulder.

"Good? Count me in as good, too. I'm a lucky man, and I know it." Eddie said, glancing at Janet and lightly rubbing her arm. He then looked at her grandparents and just smiled.

"Son, I feel like you're a member of the family already," Janet's grandfather stated, causing Janet to squirm just a bit, but it didn't faze Eddie at all, who tightened his grip on Janet's arm and kissed her cheek.

They ordered their food and Eddie and Janet's grandfather sat back and listened as Edith and Janet gabbed non-stop for nearly an hour. When the two ladies got up to go to the ladies room together, no doubt to gab in more detail about the men they had left behind at the table, Henry took it upon himself to help Eddie make plans for the evening.

"Edith and I are so sorry we're busy tonight, but you won't be sorry." Henry had a gleam in his eye. Eddie sensed that he and Henry were probably similar in many ways.

"Really." Eddie said, Eddie-style.

"Here's what you need to do, son. You need to go to Federal Hill, Atwell's Ave. tonight… It's Providence's version of little Italy. This is Edith and my favorite restaurant," Henry said, handing Eddie a business card, "Show the back of the card to Joseph at the door and they'll take good care of you."

Eddie was slightly stunned by how prepared Henry was. He hadn't thought that far ahead.

"Thanks. That sounds great." Eddie said, sticking the card in his wallet.

"But, you're luckier than you think, young man," Henry continued, "After you finish eating, walk down the hill and head in the direction of the mall. As I'm sure you have no doubt, Janet knows her way to the mall."

"I'm in luck because I get to go to the mall?" Eddie laughed.

"No, trust me son, you won't be going to the mall. You'll see. There is an event that usually only happens on weekends, but I just saw on the news today that they're having a special one tonight for charity. Trust me on this one. If you have romance in mind, and I think you do, you won't want to miss this." Henry added the last part softly as the ladies had returned to the table.

Janet leaned over and whispered in Eddie's ear, "What are you two up to?" to which Eddie replied into Janet's ear, seductively, "Wouldn't you like to know."

When it was time to go, Eddie tried to pick up the bill, only to find that Edith had already arranged to pay.

The foursome temporarily parted company as they promised to meet up at noon the next day.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Janet and Eddie put on the best clothes they had brought with them. For Janet it was a pair of white capri's, a dark blue low cut blouse, and white sandals. Eddie had his best pair of jeans and a dark green polo shirt that his mother bought him for Christmas (that he had never worn before) and loafers.

As promised, when Eddie stepped into the Blue Grotto, and showed the card, they were well taken care of. Janet convinced Eddie to try Rhode Island style calamari, and Eddie was surprised to find that their veal scaloppini was just as good, if not better, than Hugo's. They dined slowly, drank good wine, and lingered over dessert. When he asked for the check, prepared for the shock it was sure to hold, he was surprised, once again, to learn that the Meadow's had taken care of this meal as well. Eddie was a little unsettled by their generosity, but Janet convinced him that it was just their nature and to let them do it because it would make them happy.

"So, what next?" Janet asked, hoping to hear Eddie say 'bed'.

"How about a walk? I ate too much." Eddie didn't lie. But, he was taking Henry at his word.

"Okay, where do you want to walk to?" Janet asked, disappointment creeping into her tone.

"How about we head towards the mall? It's what? Half a mile? We can always pick up a cab to the hotel from there." Eddie suggested.

"Fine." Janet said, but the hotel was all that was on her mind. It was a quiet walk. Eddie grabbed her hand, and once again laced his fingers through her.

As they turned the corner in front of the mall, they smelled the wood fires burning. As they walked closer to the bridge in front of the mall, they could see the glowing reflection of the embers, and they could hear the sound of beautiful music filling the air.

They walked closer and saw people gathered, friends, families, lovers, all strolling or sitting along the side of the small river that runs through the center of Providence, making Providence look much like a European city.

Eddie breathed in the air, took in the sights and sounds, and said a silent work of thanks to Henry Meadows. This was perfect.

Janet had been to Water Fire before, but never with a lover. And, never mid-week. She saw the donation booth for breast cancer awareness and headed over there to make as generous a gift as her wallet, and budget, would allow. Eddie did the same, and soon they were taking their own stroll down the river's path.

They walked, Eddie with his arm around Janet, along the river way. Their steps were lit by fires that were set in cauldrons in the middle of the river. The fires went on and on, as far as the eye could see, set at intervals of about 15 feet apart. Janet and Eddie watched as boats, with people dressed in all black, silently make their way up and down the river, in order to stoke individual fire.

It all seemed very surreal.

And very romantic. After walking for a while, Janet and Eddie found a bench where they sat, and held one another close.

"This is the most romantic thing I've ever experienced, Eddie Latekka. You've outdone yourself. I don't know if you'll ever be able to top this." Janet said as she buried herself further into Eddie's chest and arms.

"I hate to admit this – but all the credit goes to your Grandfather on this one. He's something else. I think I might need to take some lessons from him." Eddie admitted with good humor. Janet smiled as she thought about the relationship her grandfather and the man she loved were forming.

Janet continued to stare out at the fire in front of them. She was quiet and pensive, as was Eddie. He forced himself to get back to the subject from much earlier that day. Eddie played with Janet's hair, rubbing it between his fingers, a sure sign that he was slightly nervous.

"I do want you, you know." Eddie said quietly, also staring at the fire.

Janet didn't respond, but a single tear fell down her face.

"I've always wanted to be with you. Even when I was mad as hell. Even before we were an 'us.'" Eddie shared. Janet's face showed that she was both surprised, and pleased, to hear those words from Eddie.

"Then why?" Janet asked softly, as she pulled out of Eddie's arms a bit, and turned towards him to get a better view of his face, "Why can't you forgive me for what I did?"

Eddie put his arm on the back of the bench, and turned so he and Janet were face to face.

"I have, Janet. I really have," Eddie said softly, as he reached over and touched Janet's face.

Janet didn't say a word, just looked to Eddie for more.

"It's the forgetting part that I've struggled with a bit." Eddie looked back out at the fire.

He shrugged his shoulders and looked back at Janet, "I think this trip is exactly what we needed. A change of scenery… Getting away from the Ridge… away from it all." Eddie continued. Away from Rooster, Janet silently added.

"Okay, Eddie, we're here. On the waterfront. What next?" Janet asked firmly but couldn't conceal a bit of a smirk.

Eddie smirked right back at her. He couldn't hold back for a second longer. Before Janet knew it, Eddie had grabbed her into his arms and his mouth was on hers. He kissed her feverishly, and she responded in kind. The kissing became very intense, very quickly. They stopped, tried to catch their breath, and said, at the exact same time, "Taxi."

And with that Janet and Eddie rushed back to the main road and hailed a cab to their hotel.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Janet opened the door while Eddie stood behind her. He had her hair pulled to the side as he nibbled on her neck and ear. The door had barely closed behind them when Janet threw the room key into the air and began to kiss Eddie with an insatiable passion. Eddie's lips found their way down to her neck, as the two lovers began to touch, feel, and undress each other.

The need to kiss, and touch, was all consuming for the both of them.

Eddie stopped, just for a moment, and just looked at Janet. He held her face with both of his hands and declared, "I love you, beautiful. God, I've missed you."

Janet knew exactly what he meant and, in between kisses, informed him, "Trust me. Not as much as I've missed you, Latekka."

She reached up under Eddie's shirt and sent it flying over his head. He quickly returned the favor.

In sharp contrast to the first time they made love, there was no hesitation. There was no dancing, no laughing, no worry, and no clumsiness. As wonderful as that had been for their first time, this time was different. This was about a deeper need. A deeper connection. Tonight, making love was about more. It was about a deep, and spiritual, coming together of souls.

Eddie and Janet fell together onto the bed and began to passionately make love.


	19. Chapter 19

Janet woke up feeling a little disoriented. It took a few seconds for her to remember where she was, and a few more seconds to realize that it wasn't just a wonderful dream she had last night, it was real. She and Eddie had made love last night. They were together, body and soul, and Janet felt closer to Eddie than she ever had before.

Janet turned over to face her lover, her love, her best friend, and one of the best things that had ever happened to her. As usual, Eddie was lying on his back, looking angelic. She just lay there, on her side, watching him sleep. Admiring his ruggedly handsome features; appreciating the fact that he didn't snore; and holding back her desire to kiss him awake – to begin yet another round of tender lovemaking. Janet watched Eddie for quite some time, before falling back asleep with a contented smile on her face.

Eddie woke up and a broad smile immediately crossed his face. He turned onto his side and faced a sleeping Janet. The fact that this woman didn't realize how beautiful she was astounded him. He fought the urge to reach over and smooth her hair, touch her face. He watched her sleep for a few moments, wanting to reach over and wake her. It didn't take long for an impatient Eddie to give in to his desire. Eddie leaned over and kissed the top of Janet's nose. He continued to pepper kisses all over her face and onto her neck and shoulder.

Janet lay there, having woken with the first kiss, but she kept her eyes closed as long as she could, as she enjoyed the feel of Eddie's lips, and the warmth of his breath, against her skin. Unable to hold back her smile, giggles, or her desire, any longer, Janet's eyes fluttered open. Eddie pulled back to face Janet, as he gave her that wonderful, warm smile that he reserved for only her.

"Hey." Janet said softly, smiling, reaching over and placing her finger tips against Eddie's lips. Eddie took her hand in his and kissed it gently.

"Hey." Eddie said back. Those were the only words that they would need for a while as the two lovers fell into each other's arms and began to make love again.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Janet got out of the shower as Eddie went to get in. She left the water running for him, and, in return, he held the towel for her. Eddie put the towel around Janet, and as he did his strong, sexy arms encircled her, not wanting to let her go. He leaned down and kissed her again. After the kiss, he just looked at her and shook his head.

"What?" Janet asked, confused.

"You know, before you, I wasn't the biggest fan of kissing. It was just a means to an end, if you know what I mean." Eddie admitted. Janet smiled. She knew Eddie well enough to know exactly what he meant.

"And now?" Janet asked as she stood on her tip toes and placed tender kiss, after tender kiss, on Eddie's all too willing lips.

"Now? I am definitely a fan of kissing you. I actually can't stop kissing you. And, not just as a means to an end. At least not _always_ as a means to an end." Eddie said, flirting with his eyes and eye brows.

"Good answer, Latekka. But, if you don't stop looking at me like that, and making me want to kiss you... we're never going to get to my grandparents today." Janet said with some regret, releasing herself from Eddie's arms and turning around, just before exiting the bathroom, to admire the beautiful view as Eddie stepped into the shower.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Janet and Eddie arrived at Edith and Henry's apartment in time for lunch. Henry was cooking steaks and vegetables on the grill out on the patio and Edith was in the kitchen making her famous macaroni salad. Eddie went out and joined Henry on the patio while Janet headed to the kitchen to hang with her gram.

"Eddie, good to see you. Tell me, how did your plans work out last night?" Henry asked.

"You were right, Henry, about all of it. Last night was good for me and Janet. Thank you… for everything." Eddie said sincerely.

"You're very welcome, son. I meant it when I said I feel like you're a member of the family. Who knows, maybe someday you will be." Henry said, winking at Eddie as he leaned down to the cooler beside the grill and handed Eddie a beer.

Eddie was quiet for a moment before responding.

"I won't lie to you, Henry. Lately? I've been thinking about it. A lot. But, that kind of commitment still scares the living hell out of me." Eddie admitted, before asking, "How did you know you wanted to be with Edith for the rest of your life?"

Henry stood back, clearly deep in thought.

"I came to that realization a lifetime ago, Eddie. I do remember that it happened slowly, over time. Edith was my little sister's best friend. Always around. Always had a wisecrack or something to tease me about. And then, suddenly, the night of her senior social came and she was stood up by Tommy Parker. I never liked that guy." Henry admitted, before continuing, "I stepped in at the last minute to take her to the dance and it turned out to be a life changing night for me. If I'm honest, I think by the time that night was over; I knew she was the one. It just took me another year, or so, to get up the nerve to admit it to myself -- and then admit it to her."

Eddie just stood back, leaning against the stone wall on the edge of the patio, thinking about how Henry's story wasn't all that different from his own. Eddie hesitated for a moment before confiding in Henry.

"I knew Janet was the one for me a long time ago, too. But, I fought it because I had this feeling that if I let her in? There would be no turning back. Turns out I was right." Eddie admitted with a smirk and a slight laugh, "I do love her, Henry."

"I know you do, son. And when you're ready, know this, you have our blessing. Edith is crazy about you, son, and I'm a pretty big fan myself." Henry admitted.

"That's good to know, Henry. I'll keep that in mind… So, tell me what you're doing with these steaks." Eddie changed the subject as he and Henry talked grilling, beer, and the weather.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"I've missed this. Hanging out with you. I'm sorry I don't visit more." Janet admitted as she kissed her grandmother's cheek.

"You have a life, Janet. A job, friends and a boyfriend. But, I'm so glad you're here now. And I'm so glad that you brought that young man with you. It does my heart good to see how you light up when he walks into the room. He's your perfect match." Edith said with a nod of her head and a glance to the side as she chopped onions. Janet walked around the kitchen gathering the odds and ends she needed to set the table.

"That's exactly how I feel, Gram. When we broke up? I felt like I lost a piece of me. To tell you the truth, me and Eddie getting back together was a bit of a miracle," Janet stated as she set the table, "I feel lucky to be with such an amazing guy... Did you know that dad knew and liked Eddie?"

Janet's grandmother nodded, and smiled, at her precious granddaughter, thinking about how much she missed Janet's father, Jack. After eight long years, his death still made her cry at night. No mother should bury her own son. The smile faded from her face.

"I'm sorry, I know it's still hard for you to talk about dad." Janet quietly said to her grandmother, noticing the sad shadow that crossed her grandmother's eyes.

"It's okay, dear. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my Jack. He was just taken from us way too soon. He was such a good man, and he loved you, baby girl, so much." Janet's grandmother's smile came back as she spoke about her boy.

"I know. He loved you and Gramps too." Janet paused for a moment before continuing with a bit of hesitation in her voice, "But, speaking of dad, there's something I need to ask you."

Janet had an opening, so she dove in. Unfortunately, it was bad timing, as Eddie and Henry came in with the rest of the food.

"What do you want to know, Janet?" Edith asked as they all sat down around the table. Janet looked at Eddie, who encouraged her to continue with a nod of his head.

"The oddest thing happened a few weeks ago." Janet began, suddenly feeling less certain about the question at hand. Edith and Henry just continued to look at Janet, waiting for a question. Eddie took her hand in his and gently squeezed it supportively.

"Someone told me that dad… wasn't my real father. I know that sounds crazy. But Ray Cataldo made this scene… and he had this file. It said that his father, Jack Cataldo was my father, not Jack Meadows." Janet said, looking back and forth between Henry and Edith. Waiting for them to laugh it off and put her at ease. Neither did.

"Gram, Gramps, just say the word and I'll believe you. I'll never even think about this again." Janet implored. Henry and Edith just looked at one another. The silence gave Janet the answer that she had dreaded.

Edith solemnly stood up and crossed the room to her china cabinet. She opened the drawer and took out a box. She opened the box and looked through it for a moment before finding what she was looking for. She walked back over and handed a letter to Janet.

Not a word was said. Janet looked at Eddie, who encouraged her with his eyes to go ahead and open the letter. The room was silent as Janet stared at the small well preserved white envelope with the simple word 'Janet' written on the outside in her dad's handwriting. She excused herself from the table and walked out onto the patio. She sat at the small table, opened the envelope, and pulled out the letter. She began to read it, loving the sight of her dad's less than perfect handwriting.

"My Dearest Janet,

I never wanted to write this letter and I hope you never have to read it. Today the doctors told me I don't have long to live. How can that be? I'm not ready to leave you. I worry about leaving you here, in this town, with no family to call your own. I keep begging you to move to Rhode Island to be near my folks, but you stubbornly refuse to leave the Ridge. So, I call on friends, like Sully, like the Daniels, to watch over you. And, God willing, I will continue to watch over you from heaven.

Do you know that you are the greatest joy of my life? I have loved every minute of being your dad. But, if you're reading this, someone has told you about Jack Cataldo and your mother. So, it is with a heavy heart that I tell you that it's true. Jack Cataldo is your father.

Truth is, I knew I'd never be a father. My first bout with cancer when I was in my teens saw to that. Your mother knew that too. When she found herself pregnant she didn't try to hide the truth about her affair. She left me. She tried to get Jack Cataldo to leave his wife and start a new life with the two of you. But Jack was never going to leave Lois, and their boys, for Diane and her unborn child. I think that's what drove Diane a bit insane and turned her into the unpredictable, and less than reliable, woman she turned out to be. She cheated you out of having a real mother, and for that, I will always be sad.

When you were born, in spite of our separation, your mother put my name down on the birth certificate as your father. Then she went and left the hospital without you. When the hospital called me and told me to come get you? I didn't know what to do. I walked into that hospital planning to tell them you weren't my responsibility. But then, and this is the gods honest truth, the nurse put you in my arms and I looked into your innocent, beautiful eyes. I knew in that moment that you needed me. In that moment you stole my heart. You became my child. You became a part of me. And, that was the biggest, most life changing moment of my existence. Bigger than being a major league baseball player; bigger than anything I have ever done.

And, while Jack Cataldo's blood may run through your veins, you are my child and I have loved being your dad. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter. And, you are a Meadows in every way that counts.

I love you, Janet. Always.

Dad"

Janet broke down. Her sobs were inconsolable. Her worst fears confirmed while, at the same time, her dad's words of love touched her heart. Eddie and Edith both started to get up from the table, but Henry stopped them.

"Let me," Henry said first looking to Eddie and then to Edith.

Henry slowly made his way to the patio, closed the slider behind him, and took the chair beside Janet. Janet leaned up against her grandfather and cried in his arms. The two talked for a good half hour before coming in to join Edith and Eddie.

Eddie walked over to Janet and put his arms around her. She held onto him tight.

"I'm going to be okay, Eddie. I swear." Janet said, moving away from him and hugging her grandmother.

"Let's eat. Okay?" Janet said, looking around the room, and no one knowing what else to do, they all sat down and ate lunch.

After lunch, they played cribbage out on the patio, which Eddie had never done before, and took a walk around the retirement community. They made plans to meet up later that night for dinner.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Janet and Eddie went back to the hotel for the few hours they had before their dinner reservation. Janet laid down on the bed, and Eddie laid down with her, putting his arms around her. She cried again as he held her tight against him. He knew that it would take some time for the emotions to fully settle.

"Eddie, I need to see my grandparents more often. Make me do it. Make me make the time for them. I don't know how long I'll have them." Janet said into Eddie's shoulder, as Eddie continued to hold her close. Eddie thought about it for a moment before saying the last thing Janet expected to hear.

"I think you should move here." Eddie suggested, as Janet's eyes grew wide and she looked up at his face.

"What?" Janet asked, tears forming as a new feeling of confusion and hurt came over her. Eddie realized his mistake quickly.

"I mean I think **we **should move here. I'm asking you to live with me. Here, in Rhode Island. Or back in the Ridge. Wherever you want – you decide. I love you, Janet. I want to wake up to your smile every morning." Eddie stated, feeling extremely vulnerable in his own honesty, "Just think about it."

Janet was relieved but still confused. Leave the Ridge? Live with Eddie? She looked thoughtfully at Eddie, as she reached her arms around his neck, gently guiding him on top of her as she began to initiate a long, slow kiss. When they broke apart momentarily, Janet responded, "Tell you what…I'll think about it."

Eddie smiled at her.

They kissed, and held each other for a while, before making love one more time and then taking a well deserved nap before dinner.


	20. Chapter 20

Nick walked up to Hannah's front door and knocked. It took a moment for Sam to get to the door.

"Hey, Nick, what goes on?" Sam asked with a smile as he answered the door.

"Not much. Just taking a break from installing windows," Nick smiled, and scanning the inside of the house asked, "Your mom around?"

"That's a tricky question, Nick. There's someone in the kitchen that looks like my mom, but this person in the kitchen? She's baking about a gazillion cupcakes for the PTA bake sale... so….I'm not quite sure." Sam stated, and then leaned in closer to Nick, whispering, "Janet bakes cupcakes. Mrs. Rowan bakes cupcakes. My mom? She **never** bakes cupcakes. Especially not in bulk."

Nick face showed mild surprise.

"Hence, the confusion. Gotcha. How about I do some recon and let you know what I find out?" Nick offered with a wink.

Sam opened the door wider and threw out his arm in the direction of the kitchen, "Be my guest. If you see my mom, tell her I went over Doody's house which, last time I checked, was a cupcake free zone."

"Okay, Sam. See ya." Nick said laughing, rubbing the top of Sam's head as he walked past him and headed towards the kitchen.

Nick walked through the kitchen door and was shocked by what he saw. Hannah was standing in the middle of her kitchen, surrounded by tray, upon tray, of cupcakes. Some chocolate, some vanilla. Some frosted, some not. She had frosting, and flour, on various parts of her clothing, with a trace of frosting on her face, near her mouth, betraying any chance she had to hide the fact that she'd helped herself to some of the tasty frosting.

Hannah looked a bit surprised, and definitely uncomfortable, with Nick's arrival.

"What, in the name of the Cupcake Kid, is going on here, Hannah? This is… um… **wow**. Is this all for the PTA bake-sale or are you planning on single handedly knocking out hunger in third world countries by air dropping in cupcakes?" Nick teased.

"Ha, ha, Nick," Hannah replied, "Just trying to be a good mom. Make up for lost time."

"Make up for lost time by baking cupcakes… in your kitchen … alone?" Nick probed, prompting a sarcastic smile with squinted eyes from Hannah.

"What do you want, Nick? This? This is none of your business," Hannah said with a touch of annoyance in her voice.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to offend, Hannah. Just wanted to find out what goes on with you and see how you're doing. You know, with the whole Ray thing and all." Nick began to lose his nerve, and question why he even showed up at Hannah's at all.

Hannah looked at Nick, and then around at her cupcake filled kitchen, and then back at Nick again feeling a little guilty for being impatient with him.

"Sorry," Hannah said to Nick, with a shrug of her shoulders, "How about peace offering? ...Cupcake?" Hannah smiled, picking up and displaying a perfect cupcake on the palm of her hand and holding it to the side of her face as if she were a model showing off a million dollar prize.

"Think you can spare one?" Nick teased, and got another squinting glare from Hannah for his trouble.

Nick crossed behind Hannah to get to her kitchen table. His hand briefly touched Hannah's arm, and that slight touch affected Nick more than he'd care to admit. He pushed the feeling out of his mind as much as he possibly could.

Hannah felt it too. She couldn't hide the flush that crossed her face. She did her best to ignore it as she grabbed them each a cup of coffee, and a cupcake, and joined Nick at the table.

"My best friend's out of town. Baking works for her, so, I thought I'd try it and see if it helped." Hannah admitted.

"Did it?" Nick asked.

"Not so much." Hannah stated as she stuffed a bite of cupcake into her mouth.

"I know I'm not Janet, but… do you want to talk?" Nick asked, hopeful that Hannah would open up to him. Hannah just looked at Nick thoughtfully, trying to decide if she was ready to talk, and if Nick was the person she wanted to be talking to. After a slight silence, she decided.

"Not much to talk about, Nick. I messed up. I knew who Ray Cataldo was. And, yet, somehow? I fell for the charm and the whole 'white knight' mask her wore for me. Damn it. "

"Oh, you mean like in the Caltaldo Builders commercial? The guy on the white horse riding to the rescue?" Nick said sarcastically, tried to make Hannah smile -- and it worked.

"Yep, just like that," Hannah laughed, but the she paused, becoming more serious. She briefly glanced down at her hand, where her engagement ring once was, "I really thought he had become this ... good guy. This 'pillar of the community', right? I let him into my life, into Sam's life, ... and then I put my foot down on the gas pedal and I never looked back. I ignored all of the warning signs. The fire alarms. The sirens. The ticking time bomb. All of it. I was ... a fool."

"You're no fool, Hannah Jane. Love is blind. You know that. It's not your fault." Nick tried to sooth Hannah. He reached over and placed his hand on hers. Again, the feeling from that touch was powerful. He slowly pulled back his hand. Hannah didn't seem to notice this time.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Hannah looked indecisive about whether to continue, but she did, "I really did love Ray … as crazy as that sounds. I still miss him, Nick. But, I hate him too. I hate him for what he did to Eddie… and Janet. For hurting Sam… For hurting me…"

Nick didn't reply right away, as Hannah grabbed a napkin and wiped the tears that she just couldn't stop from forming in the corners of her eyes. He just watched her, trying to decide what the right thing to say would be.

"For what it's worth, I do think Ray is paying a pretty steep price… Losing you…" Nick spoke the last two words softly, and thoughtfully. After all, he knew all about that from experience.

"I don't know about that Nick," Hannah looked up at Nick and found herself a little lost in his eyes, "But, thank you for saying that."

Nick just smiled, finding himself a little lost in Hannah's eyes too.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Eddie followed Janet into her house, dragging in both his suitcase and hers. He walked right into the bedroom for the first time in months. He put the suitcases on the bed, and walked back out to the living room where Janet was standing at her desk, beginning to sort through her mail and listen to her messages at the same time. Eddie walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist, and rested his head comfortably against hers. Janet couldn't help but smile at how easy, and comfortable, things were between her and Eddie.

"I'm going to go home, get a few things and see how Phyz is doing. What do you want to do for dinner later?" Eddie asked Janet, kissing the side of her face.

Eddie released Janet from his arms and headed to the kitchen to get a bottle of water.

"I know this is going to sound a little crazy – but how about Sully's? I want to catch up on the books tomorrow morning, so I need to go there and get them." Janet replied, still focused on going through her mail. She came across a package, wrapped in brown paper.

"Works for me. I could go for a burger and a draft." Eddie replied from the kitchen.

"What the hell is this?" She asked aloud, ignoring Eddie's last comment. Eddie came back out to the living room and offered Janet a bottle of water. She was too focused on what she found in her pile of mail to take the water bottle from him so he put it down on the desk.

"What's what?" Eddie asked.

"A _present _from Ray." Janet said with disdain in her voice as she thumbed through a book of some type. A cross between a photo album and a memory book. Baby pictures, Cataldo family photos, a documented family history. Ancestors, blood types…

It was too much to even think about. Janet stared at it for a moment before angrily throwing the book in the trash can.

"Say the word and I'll go talk to him and tell him to back off." Eddie offered, perhaps a little too eagerly.

"No, thank you. I just got you back, dude. I can't have you locked up for assault, or worse yet, murder." Janet replied with a smirk as she turned back towards Eddie.

"Okay. Your call. Let me know if you change your mind," Eddie said with just a hint of disappointment in his voice. He leaned down and lightly kissed Janet.

Janet wasn't quite satisfied with that, as she pulled him back towards her for a deeper, lingering kiss. When the kiss ended, Eddie smiled broadly, and lightly touched the side of Janet's face, before breaking their eye lock, turning, and reluctantly walking out the door.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Hannah and Nick drank coffee and talked for the better part of an hour. At one point, Hannah shook her head from side to side, as if she were shaking off a dream.

"You know what? I am SO done talking about me. What goes on with you, Nick? How's the Commander doing?" Hannah changed the topic and the mood.

"The Commander is… doing better. He's been a horrible patient, but Leslie keeps him in line. Did you know they're getting married?" Nick asked.

"No, I didn't know that. That's great news!" Hannah stated, before cautiously asking, "How are you doing with the whole Ronnie/Aubrey thing?"

"Surprisingly? I'm doing okay with it. I was little hurt at first -- but I had to admit to myself that Aubrey and I didn't have… 'it'. And, we weren't going to. So… I'm happy for them." Nick admitted with a shrug.

"You sure about that?" Hannah inquired.

"Yeah. Trust me, I've had some time to think about it. I'm ready to move on from Aubrey, and figure out what comes next, you know? Who knows, maybe I'll finish my second novel." Nick honestly replied.

"Finish? That means you started writing again?" Hannah asked.

"Started. Not much more than that. And, trust me, you and Eddie will have right of first refusal before it ever gets published. I want to use this novel to make things right. I want to at least try." Nick admitted.

"Good for you, Nick Garrett." Hannah said, raising her cup of coffee to toast his. Nick smiled as he met her half way, clinking his coffee mug against hers.

"Thank you, Hannah Jane Daniels. Listen, I've got to get back to work. Thanks for the coffee… and the cupcake... " Nick said as he got up from the table. Nick smiled at Hannah as he turned to leave.

But he stopped suddenly.

"Um, Hannah. Sam left for Doody's when I got here. He seemed pretty baffled by your sudden need to be Betty Crocker… He's got to be confused about what went on with Ray too... "

Hannah looked at Nick cautiously, and listened, but the light mood was subsiding, and the darkness was returning.

"I just want you to know that I want to be here for him too. More than I have been, if that's okay." Nick stated carefully. He still couldn't help but wonder if Sam was his kid, "I want to be a father figure… a role model, for Sam. "

He noticed Hannah's defenses rising, as she crossed her arms across her chest and gave Nick a steely look with her eyes.

"I'm not asking for anything more than that…" Nick didn't want to go too far. He was getting closer to demanding the truth, but now was not the time.

"And, it's not just me, Hannah. Eddie and Phil both feel the same way." Nick stumbled over his words just a bit -- trying to assure Hannah of his intentions.

Hannah relaxed. The paternity thing wasn't something she was ready to address. Yet. She dropped her arms to her sides, and at the same time, dropped her defenses.

"Oh… Yeah… I'm okay with that, Nick. And, Sam will be too. Thanks." Hannah kept looking at Nick like he was a puzzle she couldn't quite figure out.

"Okay, I'm really gonna go now. Later, Hannah." Nick said, giving Hannah a slight wave goodbye, as he disappeared out the kitchen door.

Hannah watched him leave, and tried to sort through the emotions she was feeling. There was something about hanging out with Nick that clicked and felt right. And, he was good with Sam. Still, she pushed all of that out of her mind. For now.

And, then, Hannah took a moment to look around her kitchen. She just shook her head at the sheer volume of cupcakes. She sighed deeply and went back to work frosting and boxing the cupcakes.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

After Eddie left, Janet went back to reading through her mail. She picked up the bottle of water, opened it and took a sip. After a few moments she walked over to the trash can and looked down. She turned away for a second, and then turned back, obviously conflicted in her feelings about the information that Ray was trying to share with her.

After a moment of indecision, Janet knelt down and took the book out of trash can. She looked at it for a second, and then walked back over to her desk. She wasn't ready to read it just now, but at the same time she couldn't just discard it that lightly. She opened a desk drawer and carefully placed the book inside.

Then Janet went to her bedroom and opened her suitcase. She found her journal and then went back out to her couch where she began to document the events of the last few wonderful days, and she admitted to herself, and her journal, that she had indeed decided what her answer to Eddie's question would be.


	21. Chapter 21

"Phyyyyyyyz," Eddie said loudly as he walked through the front door of his house.

"In here Eddie," Phil yelled from the kitchen. Not that Eddie needed Phil to tell him where he was.

Eddie knew Phil's routine pretty well. Phil, in his years as a shut in, had developed some pretty reliable habits. On weekday mornings Phil would get up, exercise, shower and then he would eat his cereal before sitting down to watch Good Morning America. He'd fill the middle of the day with his computer based consulting work and his daily house cleaning. In the late afternoon, he could be found sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of cocoa (fall/winter) or iced tea (spring/summer) reading the paper, doing a crossword puzzle.

Today was no exception.

"Hey, buddy, what goes on?" Eddie asked Phil, slapping him in the back as he came into the kitchen.

"Not much. What goes on with you, man? How was Rhode Island?" Phil asked, closing the newspaper, taking a sip of his iced tea and giving Eddie his full attention.

Eddie began rifling through the food cabinets looking for a snack. Finding a bag of corn chips, Eddie grabbed the bag and sat down at the table.

"Rhode Island was good. Really good. I never thought I'd say I enjoyed hanging out with senior citizens – but Janet's grandparents are something else." Eddie smiled and shook his head slightly while munching on some chips.

"What about hanging out with Janet? Did you two kids have a good time?" Phil asked with a sly smile.

"We did." Eddie said with a wider smile, "Trust me when I say that things have never been better between me and Janet."

Phil just looked at Eddie, noting that he had never seen Eddie more relaxed or happy.

"That's great, Eddie. So, that means I'll be seeing more of Janet again? I've missed hanging out with her. … and **she** does her own dishes," Phil responded with a tease aimed at Eddie.

"Yeah," Eddie pushed the corn chips away. He suddenly got quiet, he looked down, and tapped the table with his index finger before responding, "About that…"

"Why the change in mood, Eddie? What goes on? I was just kidding about the dishes…" Phil asked with a smile and his usual calm, peaceful demeanor.

Eddie looked up, a serious expression on his face, and made eye contact with Phil, before cautiously revealing what went on with him and Janet, "Phyz, I think Janet and I are going to move in together. I asked her, and I'm just waiting for an answer. Either at her place or… maybe in Rhode Island."

Phil looked back at Eddie with a weak smile. He stood up and walked to the other side of room. He paused there for a second, and then walked back toward Eddie.

"Wow. That's great Eddie. Good for you, man, good for you." Phil said, trying his best to sound happy for his good friend.

Phil looked at Eddie, and then looked away, seemingly trying to figure out what to say next. After a second of silence, Phil looked back at Eddie.

"Rhode Island? You… you… you'd really move to Rhode Island?" the usually calm Phil became slightly frazzled.

"I don't know, Phyz. It's up to Janet. She's worried about her grandparents. She's dealing with this whole Big Cat thing," Eddie stated his case.

"I get that you want to move out and live with Janet. I think it's great. I'm happy that you're happy."

Eddie just looked at Phil, knowing there was more coming "But?"

"You leaving the Ridge. That scares me, Eddie. You're the guy who's had my back for as long as I can remember. For as long as I've been a shut in. I gotta admit that the idea of you moving away is kind of freaking me out." Phil said with an even tone, but his eyes were bugging out of his head a little more than usual.

"Well…. What goes on with you and Pizza Girl? She's here all the time anyhow, why don't you just ask her to move in already?" Eddie bargained, missing the point, and trying to change the subject.

Phil said softly, "She's moving in when her lease ends in September. I was gonna tell you."

Eddie just smiled supportively at Phil, "Way to go, Phyz. That's great news."

"Thanks Eddie." Phil said, looking at Eddie, clearly not done with what he needed to say, "Here's the thing, man. I rely on you being around, Eddie. I rely on you being dependable like you've always been. I know that's not fair to you, but I do."

Phil leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, looking slightly dejected. Eddie finally allowed himself to see the full picture and understand where Phil was coming from. Eddie had an opening to say something to Phil that had been on his mind for a long time.

"I get it, Phyz. I really do. And, you know I'd do anything for you, buddy. But, maybe, just maybe, I've been too dependable. Maybe if I was less dependable, ... you'd be working harder to get outdoors." Eddie said with kindness, care and caution.

He stood up and walked over to Phil and put his hand on his shoulder, "Just think about it."

Phil just looked at Eddie, clearly thinking about what Eddie had just said.

Eddie left the room and bounded up the stairs towards his room. Once there, Eddie began to fill a duffel bag with clothes and a few other things, including a family picture and a football from his high school days, which would make staying at Janet's feel more like being at home.

Before stuffing the football in the bag, Eddie lightly tossed it in the air as he paused for a minute to reflect on his conversation with Phil. There was no question that he was worried about Phil. Phil was, in many ways, his responsibility and Eddie began to feel like he was letting his friend down.

For the first time since offering, Eddie began to really hope that Janet didn't want to move away from the Ridge.

Eddie needed to talk to Janet.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Janet got to Sully's first. She went out back to get the books and receipts and since Eddie hadn't arrived yet, she found a table in the back to get a head start on the bookkeeping. As usual she was 'in the zone' with her work and was slightly startled when someone sat down across from her in the booth. Janet glanced up quickly to see Big Cat looking across at her.

"Hey there, Janet. I was hoping to find you here." Ray said with confidence and a smile.

"And I was kind of hoping you wouldn't, Ray. Listen, I'm busy, can you just go away?" Janet asked with a level of annoyance that was becoming a regular fixture in the few brief conversations she had with Ray since the news of their shared paternity.

She continued to look down, focused on her book keeping, as she tried to ignore him and focus on her work instead.

"No can do, little sister. I'd like to talk to you. How about a little family time? What do you say?" Ray asked with his sly smile and his usual charm.

Janet put down her pencil, slowly closed the book she was working on, and looked up at Ray. She tried to remember back to a time where the sight of Ray didn't make her blood boil.

"Ray, I have absolutely zero interest in being your sister. Or in reading the family history you sent me. Do you really think I'd want anything to do with you after all that you've done?" Janet said to an oblivious Ray.

"We're family, Janet. And you've got another brother and two nephews besides me. Don't you want to get to know them?" Ray asked, trying to appeal to Janet's sense of loyalty.

"Ray, I have a family. No offense to your brother … or to Casper… or to Jasper, but you have burned me out on all things Cataldo. You all survived without me before, you can survive without me now."

Janet stopped and took a sip of her ginger ale. Janet looked down, but her body language signaled to Ray that something else was on Janet's mind. She had another question she wanted to ask. Ray was quiet for a second so Janet took the opening.

"You know what, Ray? Since you're so anxious to talk – tell me something I've been wondering about for a while now."

"Shoot." Ray said, happy that Janet was communicating with him.

"Tell me… what the hell is your problem with Eddie? I get that you have some sort of competition with Nick, but Eddie? What did Eddie ever do to you? You destroyed his business. You brought Rory Dunlop back into his life. You had him beaten within an inch of his life. Why?" Janet asked with a cross between anger and hurt in her voice.

"You wound me, Janet. Did somebody say I did all of those things? Okay, I admit I went after Eddie's landscaping business. He was becoming an obstacle, so I eliminated the threat to my business."

Ray looked at Janet to see if she was buying what he was selling. Janet just looked annoyed.

"As for the rest, let's just say, hypothetically, I did those things. A good brother would have done those things to protect his sister. All you have to do is look at Eddie's history. Look at the all out destruction Eddie Latekka has caused. The women he has bedded, the hearts he's broken. He has never been good enough for you, Janet. I don't know why you don't see that." Ray said with a slight edge, seemingly convinced that he was within his rights to do everything he had done to Eddie.

"Let me get this straight. You had Eddie beaten because of me?" Janet fought the tears that were fighting to get out. She didn't want to be weak in front of Ray, so she did him one better, she got angry, "Damn it, Ray. I used to defend you. Did you know that? I actually liked you – once upon a time. But hear me loud and clear. I am SO done with you. You can take your brotherly concern and shove it…"

Janet stopped short when Eddie plopped himself down in the booth beside her.

"Hi, Beautiful. What goes on here?" Eddie asked, noticing how obviously upset Janet was. He put his arm protectively around Janet's shoulders, and then turned his attention to the man across the table, "Big Cat, I think it would be best if you walked away. **Now.**"

"I was just leaving, Latekka. Little sister, I'll be around when you change your mind." Ray said as he stood up and walked off.

Once he was out of earshot Janet turned to look at Eddie. She rolled her eyes and let out a growl of frustration. Eddie's hand moved to the back of her neck, which he rubbed gently, trying to reduce the stress that had formed there.

"What was that all about?" Eddie asked .

"Just Ray being Ray." Janet said softly and got a nod of understanding from Eddie. He removed his hand from her neck and moved over to the opposite side of the booth where Ray had just been sitting.

Karen stopped by to take their order. Once Karen left, Janet changed the subject.

"Tell me, how's Phil doing?" Janet asked, reaching her hands across the table and taking Eddie's hands in hers.

"That depends," Eddie said and then asked with slight trepidation, "Have you thought about my question?"

"I have," Janet said, but she was focused on the uncertain look in Eddie's eyes, "Eddie, have you changed your mind?"

"No way, you're stuck with me. If you want to be stuck with me..." Eddie stated, looking deeply into Janet's eyes.

"Then what goes on, Eddie?" Janet asked, knowing Eddie was holding something back from her. Eddie thought about holding back, but knew he couldn't. Not from Janet.

"It's Phyz. You know that I've been helping him live… survive… as a shut in for years. He's pretty freaked out by the idea of me moving to Rhode Island. Truthfully? I should have thought that part through a little better." Eddie admitted to Janet with a slightly guilty look on his face.

Janet and Eddie just looked at each other, reading each other, thinking about the situation.

They were momentarily interrupted when Karen dropped off Eddie's beer and Janet's glass of wine.

"So, if you moved out of your house – but stayed in the Ridge – he'd be okay with that?" Janet asked.

"He would. He'd be happy to have a little more space. Turns out Pizza Girl's moving in with him in September." Eddie said in a way that told her that Eddie was really happy for Phil.

"Wow. That's big news. Good for them." Janet said, before adding, "Good for us too, right? So…. Let's stay in the Ridge. Together."

"You okay with not moving to Rhode Island?" Eddie asked.

"Thing is, Eddie, that was a very sweet offer that you made. But I chose to stay in the Ridge when my dad died, and I choose to stay here, with you, now." Janet stated with a touch of emotion in her voice.

"Okay. So we're really doing this?" Eddie asked, holding Janet's hands in his.

"I think we are..." Janet said with a huge smile as they both leaned across the table for a very gratifying, and completely satisfying, kiss.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

As soon as they finished eating, Eddie and Janet went home. They found a spot on her mantel for Eddie's family picture, a place of honor in Janet's bedroom for Eddie's football, and Janet let Eddie put his clothes in the drawers that she had cleared out for him earlier that day.

As Eddie worked on putting his stuff away, Janet disappeared into the bathroom for a moment. When she came out, Janet had changed into one of Eddie's t-shirts. Eddie attention was immediately diverted from the task at hand as a huge smile crossed his face. Janet looked at Eddie in a way that told him she only had one thing on her mind. Eddie immediately stopped putting his clothes away and walked over to Janet. He reached over to gently touch the hair that was falling softly around her face and leaned in for a sweet kiss.

Janet walked away from Eddie just long enough to light some candles and Eddie went to the kitchen to get a bottle of wine and some glasses. No detail was spared because, after all, this was their first official night of living together. As they created a romantic ambiance, the two lovers found it difficult to take their eyes off of one another for even a second.

For the first time since the Rooster incident, Eddie took Janet to bed in her… no, in **their** bedroom. They began to kiss, softly at first, and then more deeply. They held each other close as they slowly undressed each other, savoring every delicious moment.

The two lovers spent the rest of the evening deliberately, and passionately, celebrating the beginning of the next phase of their relationship.


	22. Chapter 22

Janet tiptoed into her bedroom after a long night at Sully's. Things had changed since Eddie had become a full time fixture and 'live in' boyfriend. Before her new living situation Janet would have probably turned on the light, and the TV, as she tried to unwind from a long and difficult shift. But, things were different now. Janet didn't want to do anything that would disturb Eddie's sleep. And, Eddie would do the same for her in the early morning hours. The lovers had carefully found a way to manage their conflicting, and often competing, schedules.

They were a happy couple, that was for sure, but living together had been an adjustment, and a learning experience, for both of them.

She crept across the bedroom, towards the bathroom, stopping briefly to look at her sleeping boyfriend. The room was dark but she could see his silhouette, and she could just make out the steady rise and fall of his chest. Janet's heart surged with love for the caring, and amazingly attractive, man sleeping in her bed.

And, if she was honest with herself, she really wished he was still awake…

Janet quickly showered before putting on her most comfy pajamas. She headed across the bedroom, thinking ahead to how blissful it would be to sink into her comfortable bed and snuggle close to Eddie. That had become the favorite part of her day. It was actually a warm evening, but Eddie had turned up the AC just the way Janet liked it, so that she could fully enjoy the warmth of snuggling beneath her down comforter.

Unfortunately, just as Janet came around the bed her foot ran into something out of place. Janet stubbed her toe… hard…, "Ouch! Damn it!"

"What the…" Eddie sat up in bed, startled --and slightly annoyed-- by the intrusion on his sleep.

As soon as he figured out what had happened, and that Janet was in pain, the surprise and annoyance were replaced by concern, "Oh, hey, Janet… You okay, babe?"

Eddie turned on the table lamp, quickly got out of bed, and walked over to see how Janet was doing.

As she sat down on the edge of the bed, Janet was momentarily diverted from her pain as the distractingly beautiful sight of Eddie's shirtless frame filled her sightline.

"I'm okay, it just stings a bit." Janet replied with an edge in her voice, ignoring the distraction. She was obviously tired, and annoyed, "Eddie, what the hell did I stub my toe on?"

"That was…. my foot locker." Eddie explained, feeling guilty, as he sat down beside Janet and began to rub her back.

"What the hell is your footlocker doing in our bedroom? It's supposed to be in the guestroom." Janet steamed.

He continued cautiously, "I moved it in here because… I was going to break this to you more gently, but…. I had to rearrange the stuff in that room because we're going to be having… house guests."

"House guests? We're having houseguests, Eddie? WHO are we having for houseguests?" Janet asked with a confused look on her face and greater annoyance filling her voice.

Eddie paused, and glanced sideways at Janet, before responding with caution, "My parents…"

Janet's eyes widened and her jaw fell open a bit, annoyance was replaced by panic, and suddenly the pain in her toe became an afterthought.

"Your parents are staying here, Eddie? _When_ are your parents staying here?"

"They'll be here tomorrow -- by lunch time." Eddie reluctantly replied. Janet's mouth remained open but her brain was racing.

"Dude….Tomorrow? Your parents are coming tomorrow. When did you find out your parents were coming? Eddie, I haven't done anything. I need to shop. I need to replace that stupid lumpy mattress in the guest room. I need to clean …" Janet became flustered.

She stood up, clearly conflicted, and took off for the guest room. Eddie looked up, shook his head from side to side, and rolled his eyes before getting up and following Janet.

He found Janet beginning to strip the guest bed. When she saw him come in the room she picked up a pillow and threw it at him as hard as she could. Eddie easily caught it and held it in front of him.

"You should have called me as soon as you found out, Eddie. This? This is big. Your parents coming to stay with us is big."

"It's not THAT big a deal, Janet, please stop. It's late. You're tired. And you **really** don't need to do anything special for my parents. Think about it, they've slept on the infamous 'Gelson St. pull-out couch'. Staying here will be like… like staying in a four star hotel. Trust me."

"But, Eddie…"

"What goes on here, Janet? You don't mind my parents staying here, do you? I mean I can always make reservations for them at the Johnson Inn…"

Janet stared down Eddie for making that suggestion.

"I don't mind them staying here. They're your parents. It's just…." Janet trailed off.

"It's just what?" Eddie probed, getting edgy himself.

"I just want them to like me. That's all." The normally bold and strong Janet suddenly sounded like a fragile little girl. She hesitated before looking Eddie in the eye.

"Janet, my dad was your high school guidance counselor… My mom was your pediatrician. They _already_ like you." Eddie was completely confused, "What's really going on here, Janet?"

Janet didn't respond right away. She looked at Eddie, clearly knowing what she needed to say, but hesitating before doing so.

Janet sat down on the guest room bed, "The thing is, Eddie, I do know your parents, but not as your girlfriend. Certainly not as the person you sleep with every night. I'm just … not the girl they'd expect you to be with."

"I suppose." Eddie said as he stood up and walked around to the other side of the guest bed throwing the pillow he'd been cradling back onto the bed.

"You suppose?" Janet said, still confused, feeling more unnerved. She grabbed the pillow Eddie had just released, held it to her chest, and curled up on the bed.

"My parents may have left the Ridge, but, unfortunately for me, they still know everything that goes on here. They know pretty much everything about my history with women. Over the years, every time I would talk to my Mom I'd get an earful about my 'love life.'" Eddie squinted and raised his eyebrows. Janet couldn't help but chuckle.

Eddie crawled onto the bed and lay on his side facing Janet.

"Truthfully? I think my Mom's had this expectation that I was going to eventually get tired of the game and settle for someone… well, someone like I settled for in the past… instead of waiting for someone, like you, who would really make me happy. " Eddie kissed Janet lightly.

"I remember thinking the same thing your Mom was thinking, Latekka. I was thinking you might settle for less than you deserved." Janet said as she moved closer to Eddie and put her hand against his chest, she smiled devilishly at him, "I'm glad you didn't."

Eddie just smiled at Janet's confident remark.

"When I told her about us? You're right – she was surprised that I was in a relationship with you. But, not for the reasons you'd think. Do you know what she said?" Eddie opened his arms, drawing Janet into them as Janet tossed aside the pillow that had become a barrier between them.

"Do I _**want**__ to know_ what she said, Eddie?" Janet asked quietly, but with a touch of humor, as she reached her arms around Eddie's neck.

"She said, and I quote, 'I knew it.'" Eddie looked Janet deep in her eyes as his fingers gently brushed up and down Janet's back.

"What? She did not say that, Eddie." Janet said, lightly hitting Eddie in the arm and laughing. Eddie held Janet closer and kissed her again before continuing.

"Yes… she did. She said she used to watch us, way back when you were at my baseball games, when I used to con you into writing my English papers…. She was convinced that I had a thing for you way back then." Eddie admitted.

"Well, we both know that's not true." Janet smiled, and laughed lightly, as she began peppering Eddie's bare chest with soft, sweet kisses.

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that Ms. Meadows. If I had to put money on it? I'd say my Mom was right."

Eddie interrupted Janet's playful assault on his chest by raising her chin, meeting her lips with his own, and initiating a slow, sultry kiss.

Janet interrupted Eddie's advances, "Are you trying to tell me that we could have been doing _this_ all these years? Damn. What the hell took you so long, Latekka?"

Janet, in turn, initiated a passionate kiss that was destined to lead to more. Despite the two lovers being tired, their desire to be together became intense. Janet and Eddie were consumed by each other, kissing each other with a feverish need. Eddie was playfully working to get Janet's pajama top off but Janet broke away before reaching the point of no return.

"Dude, I seriously refuse to have sex with you in this bed. Do you realize that your parents will be sleeping in this bed tomorrow night?" Janet asked with a twinkle in her eye, as she somehow pulled away from Eddie, got out of the bed and made a mad dash for their bedroom.

"But Janet… that was hot…." Eddie whined loud enough for Janet to hear him on her way to the bedroom.

"I'll show you hot, Latekka…" Janet flirted.

"Now, that's what I'm talking about…." Eddie said with a wide grin as he got up off the guest room bed and took off for the bedroom.

Eddie caught up to Janet and tackled her, throwing her down on the bed, and coming down hard on top of her. The lovers laughed, and smiled, as they held and caressed each other and finally gave into their need for one another. They made love until exhaustion overwhelmed them and they lay there, side by side, breathing in sync, as they fell into a deep sleep.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

The next morning, Ikey was running errands for Best Friend Windows. He had drawn the short straw which meant an early morning drive to Springfield to get a custom door they had ordered for the Town Hall.

On Ikey's way back to the Ridge, he happened upon a woman have car troubles about 3 miles outside town. Being a good guy, as well as the curious type, Ikey stopped to help.

"Hey, what goes on here? Looks like you ran smack dab into some trouble." Ikey said as he carefully approached the woman.

"You could say that again. It just stalled on me and now I can't get it started. And, no cell service out here. Not sure what goes on with that…," the woman said, holding up her cell phone, with a confident smile.

Ikey was immediately drawn to her smile and to her crystal blue eyes which were focused on the 'B' on his well worn hat, "By the way, nice hat."

Ikey smiled at her appreciation of his Red Sox cap, "You like the Sox?"

"Does Big Papi like his bling?" The stranger teased, and proved she was, indeed, a fan.

She was standing in front of the car, hood open, looking at the engine as if she were just waiting for a miracle. Ikey was impressed with her good nature despite of the situation.

"I know a little something about cars if you want me to take a look at her for ya," Ikey offered, trying to nonchalantly check her out as he checked the car out as well.

She was younger than him, maybe 25 or 26 years old, petite with light brown hair loosely pulled up in a pony tail. She had very little make-up on, but she didn't need it.

"Sure, yeah. Anything you could do would be great."

Ikey focused back on the car, and made a slight adjustment under the hood.

"Try it now," Ikey said, standing back a bit.

She got into the driver's seat, turned the key, and the engine turned right over.

"It started. Just like that. Are you kidding me? What did you do? Thank you! Thank you so much." She said, leaning out the driver's seat window, a warm, bright smile filling her face.

Ikey stood just outside the car door, arms crossed, clearly intrigued by this attractive and confident stranger.

He just brushed it off, "**I**t was nothing."

"No, it wasn't 'nothing'. Most people wouldn't have stopped -- never mind been able to actually fix it. I owe you… I have to do something for you… can I buy you breakfast?" The woman offered.

If Ikey wasn't mistaken, she was checking him out. He was surprised by how drawn to he was to her.

"I'd like that, but you see, I've got these pain-in-the-you-know-what business partners who will be pissed if I don't get back to the Ridge soon." Ikey said, cocking his head to the side and giving her puppy dog eyes. Ikey was clearly bummed out by the missed opportunity to get to know this girl better.

"Knight's Ridge? That's where I'm going." said the pretty stranger, seemingly surprised by the happy coincidence.

But, then he was struck by something else – a suddenly overwhelming feeling of familiarity, "Do I know you from somewhere? You seem… you look familiar."

"Hmmmm…. I don't think so. But, if you don't mind me being a little forward here, I really wouldn't mind getting to know you better. If I can't buy you breakfast, how about a drink later?" The woman was clearly flirting, and doing a damned good job of it, and she seemed intent on having a drink with her Good Samaritan.

"How's a guy supposed to say no to an offer like that? How's about 7 o'clock at Sully's? It's a Knight's Ridge landmark; you won't be able to miss it." Ikey was now completely lost in her ice blue eyes.

"Sully's it is." She said as she began to pull away, "Later..."

As she pulled away, Ikey had a sudden realization; he called out to her, even though he knew she was too far away to hear, "Hey, I don't know your name!"

Ikey just stood there, trying to figure out what exactly had just happened, and why he was suddenly feeling weak in the knees. Who was this mysterious girl, and what would a drink at Sully's bring?


	23. Chapter 23

Janet paced around Sully's, waiting rather impatiently for Mr. and Dr. Latekka to arrive for lunch. Eddie had forced her to leave the house because she was driving him crazy with her compulsive need to clean and re-clean, arrange and re-arrange. She'd been up since Eddie's alarm clock went off at seven and she had kept them both busy in her quest for 'the perfect home.'

Rooster came up behind her and startled her, "Janet, you okay? You look like you're going to be sick. What did Latekka do this time? Stand you up for another barbeque?"

Janet shot Rooster a look, "Stuff it Rooster. Not now. Go… Do something… Over there… I'm meeting Eddie and his parents for lunch... By the way, you CAN'T wait on us. Seriously, dude, anyone but you."

"Janet, sorry, no can do. Sully out back taking a 'nap' and Karen's not in until 3. And you know that George isn't allowed to wait tables since the _very-expensive-domino-effect-tray-dropping incident_ he set off last year… so that means you're stuck with … ME." Rooster said with a laugh as he walked away.

Janet's stomach dropped, all she needed in addition to spending time with Eddie and his parents was to have Eddie and Rooster going at it during this first, very important lunch. She immediately dialed Eddie.

"Eddie, is it too late to change lunch plans? How about … how about the Italian place on Lawrence Street?" Janet implored.

"Um, that would be a little hard to sell. My parents are starving AND… we just walked in the door," Janet heard in stereo as she turned around and saw them standing there, Eddie, his Mom beside him, and his Dad just behind his Mom. Eddie locked his eyes with Janet's and smiled at her like she was his favorite Christmas present of all time. She loved that look.

Then she turned her attention to his parents who were both grinning and seemed very happy to see her. She also noted that after 30 some odd years of marriage, Marie and Jim were still holding hands. It had been a long time since Janet had seen Eddie's parents, but they hadn't changed much. Marie was, in a word, beautiful. Her thick brown hair was without gray, even if it probably took a little help to keep it that way, and her perfectly, but lightly, made up face hid her age well. She was only about 3 or 4 inches shorter than Eddie, tall for a woman, and very regal in her presence. She wasn't perfectly thin, but she wore her weight well, in exactly the right places.

Eddie's father Jim was still very good looking. The same height as Eddie and looking at him with his chiseled face, handsome jaw line, and some pepper gray in his hair, Janet could easily picture Eddie looking exactly like him in 20 years. Well, except for Jim Latekka's style of dress. Jim was never truly casual -- the exact opposite of his son, who struggled with the concept of dressing up. And, as long as Janet had known him, Jim Latekka wore glasses that sat lower than they should on his nose, making him seem older than he truly was.

"Mr. Latekka, Dr. Latekka! It's so good to see you again." Janet said, just as she rehearsed in her head, as she walked towards them with her hand extended. She wasn't prepared to be smothered in hugs, first from Marie and then from Jim. Eddie beamed with happiness seeing his parents warmly greet the woman he loved.

"It's good to see you again, Janet, but please call me Jim." Eddie's dad requested, giving Janet a playful wink.

"That goes for me too. Please call me Marie. It's been a long time, Janet, you look terrific." Marie added with a warm smile.

"Marie. Jim. It's good to see you again too. Hey, Eddie, why don't you take your folks to a booth back there, and I'm going to take care of something. I'll be just a minute." Janet insisted, wondering if they could hear the slight shake in her voice she could only attribute to nerves.

Eddie had stood back during the meeting between his girlfriend and his parents, and since things were going so well, he wasn't about to mess it up now, so he simply replied, "Okay." And, with his parents still watching their every move he snuck a kiss which, for some reason, both delighted and embarrassed Janet.

Janet went back up to the bar.

"Listen, George, I'll give you half my tips for a week if you wait on my table and keep Rooster FAR away." Janet implored of George the bartender. George had worked at Sully's forever, he was a competent bartender but a complete klutz, Janet wondered if on purpose, at the whole 'waiting on tables' thing.

"I like my job, Janet. You know that Sully would fire me on the spot if I so much as stepped out from behind this bar. As much as you mean to me darlin', I'm staying put back here. But, for half your tips for a week,… I will tell Vincent to be on his best behavior and… and he will be. I have a little something on the porcupine haired boy. You just let me know if he steps out of line."

"Hmmmm… Interesting. You work that minor miracle and it's a deal." Janet said with relief as she turned around in time to catch Rooster trying to overhear their conversation. She rolled her eyes at him and headed to the booth to join Eddie and his parents. She looked back to see George and Rooster's heads put together and she could see Rooster's shoulders drop before he sulked away and headed over to take their order.

After Rooster took their order, on his very best behavior, and walked away with their order, Mr. Latekka turned his attention to Janet.

"So, Janet. Tell me what you've done with your life since I last saw you. You went to Fitchburg State, right? Psychology as I recall." Jim delved, falling back into his High School guidance counselor role, and somehow remembering the details of Janet's college plans from way back when.

Jim and Marie had moved away in Eddie and Janet's Junior year of High School, leaving Eddie, after he pled his case over and over, to stay with Phil's family until he completed his High School career in the Ridge. They had fully expected Eddie to join them in Boston, maybe to attend college at Boston University or Boston College after high school, but Eddie never did leave the Ridge.

"That was the plan, Mr. La… I mean, Jim," Janet smiled, but then her smile faded, "I went for a year, but then my dad got sick. He was all that mattered, so I gave up on college. I found my niche here at Sully's. Bartending is a lot like Psychology, I like to think it is anyhow."

Janet felt Eddie's arm move protectively behind her and settle on her shoulder, knowing that even after all this time she still needed comforting when it came to the loss of her dad.

"Of course, Janet, you know we really liked your dad. Everyone did." Marie said as she reached over and momentarily placed her hand on Janet's.

"Marie's right. Your dad was a great man. One of a kind. And about your schooling -- your reasons for dropping out of college are completely understandable. But, Janet, I remember how bright you were, how good your grades were, it's never too late. Maybe you could take night courses at Dufresne? Maybe you could get my son over here with his almost perfect SAT scores to go with you." Jim pressed and Janet could feel Eddie tense up. The remark from Eddie's dad seemed to cut deep for both of them. She reached her hand under the table and put her hand on Eddie's knee.

"Dad, I think it's time to change the subject. Tell us, what goes on with the two of you?" Eddie was curt with his father, and Janet got the feeling that it wasn't an unusual way for the two to interact.

Rooster dropped off their drinks: Beer for Eddie and Janet, white wine for Marie, and a coke for Jim.

"We're doing well. Oh, we hired a contractor to start work on the Vineyard property." Marie went on for some time, in her eloquent and easy to listen to sort of way, about the house they were having built for their retirement on a piece of land they bought on Martha's Vineyard 30 years ago, before the island became a celebrity hot spot and land prices sky rocketed. Jim would occasionally finish Marie's sentences, showing their strong connection after many years together, "So, once we're done, you two can come visit us any time."

"You will always have a vacation spot with us on the island," Jim agreed.

Janet smiled as she realized that Eddie's parents were taking for granted that she and Eddie would be together for the long haul. But she noticed that Eddie wasn't smiling.

"Okay, just stop. Mom, Dad, I'm really glad you're here. Trust me when I say that. And, I'm VERY happy that you're spending time with the woman I love. But, there's something else going on here that you're not telling me. You didn't drop everything and come to the Ridge last minute just to spend time with me and Janet, as much as I wanted to think that you would. I can tell something's wrong. So spill it." Eddie said calmly, but with such certainty that it surprised Janet. She had taken everything that had happened thus far at face value but Eddie had seen something else in his parents and judging by the looks on their faces, Eddie had made the right call.

"You were always intuitive, Eddie." Marie said, with tears forming in her eyes.

"But we don't want to bore Janet with our family problems," Eddie's dad went on to say.

"As far as I'm concerned? Janet is family, Dad." Eddie said, anger beginning to creep into his tone.

"He's right, Jim. Eddie… it's about your brother." Marie said looking Eddie in the eye.

"What goes on with Ryan?" Eddie asked with worry in his voice.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"What the hell's got you in such a good mood, Ikey?" Nick asked lightly, confusion written on his face, "First we make you drive all the way to Springfield at the crack of dawn -- then Eddie can't show up to help because his folks are in town -- and now we have to put up this ridiculously huge, and unbelievably heavy, door by ourselves. But there you are -- grinning like the Cheshire cat. Whistling while you work like a silly damned dwarf? What goes on with you, Ikey?"

Ikey just looked at Nick, trying to decide if he wanted to tell him what had him in such a good move. Normally this would be something he'd talk to Eddie about…. The two friends talked as they worked on the door at the Town Hall.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Nicky." Ikey said, but he was unconvincing. Nick just raised an eyebrow at Ikey telling him that he didn't believe him for a second.

Ikey looked at Nick again and smiled widely, "Okay. Okay. So I met a girl. She seemed really into me. Gonna have a drink with her at Sully's later."

Nick looked at Ikey and smiled, "Way to go, Ikey. So, is this girl single? She's not named Allison or Janet or whatever the hell Pizza Girl's real name is I hope?"

"Very funny, Nick." Ikey said sarcastically, immediately regretted telling Nick what went on with him, "Actually, I don't know her name. Yet. And, I think she's single… She seemed single. Oh, wait, maybe her name was **Hannah**."

"Nice one, Ikey. But, unfortunately .... that one's not going to work. Hannah and me? We've got nothing going on, nothin' at all," Nick said, not even trying to conceal the disappointment in his voice, "So, what time you meeting up with this mystery lady?"

"Seven," Ikey said as he let out a grunt, bearing almost the entire weight of the door while Nick worked on the hinges, "Nicky, any day now. You don't get those damned hinges in soon and I'll be in the ER with a hernia instead. Where the hell is Big Ed when you need him?"

xoxoxoxoxoxo

"I said, what goes on with Ryan?" Eddie asked, leaning over the table a bit.

"He's drinking again. It's bad, Eddie." Marie carefully explained, "Ginny left him. And, we think he lost his job. He answers the phone, but not the door, and when we do talk to him he just completely shuts us out."

"Damn it. He can't drink. Doesn't he know he can't drink?" Eddie asked, slamming his beer down, spilling some of its contents. Janet sensed rage from Eddie. She'd heard all the facts, and the facts added up to concern, not rage. She needed to know what she was missing.

"I don't mean to pry, but I'm confused. Has Ryan done this a lot? Is that what's got you so tweaked Eddie?" Her hand instinctively went behind his neck, to rub away the tension, but Eddie shook her off, hurting her feelings.

"Let me out, Janet." Eddie said quietly, with a coldness she hadn't expected.

"Okay." Janet spit out at Eddie as she eased out of the booth and Eddie barreled past her, out the door, slamming the door behind him. Janet just sat there, her heart racing, speechless, looking from the door to Marie to Jim, her mouth open. She heard his tires squeal and her hurt turned into something else – as her concern for Eddie took over.

"Okay, I need to know what the hell that was all about. Please. What's really going on here?" Janet said with conviction as she sat down prepared to hold court with the Latekkas.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Janet took Jim and Marie back to her house and got them settled in. She had to work at 6pm and had tried everything she could to get in touch with Eddie but he wasn't answering his phone. No one had seen him. She knew why now and, even though she was a little sore that she hadn't known more about Ryan before, she was more than a little worried about Eddie. She left Jim and Marie at her house and headed to work.

When she got there, Big Cat and his gang were playing pool. Ray seemed to sense Janet's mood and left her alone for a change.

Shortly after she got there she saw Owen and Allison come in for 'date night'. She always tried to leave them to someone else – she didn't want to make her friend's uncomfortable.

Hannah and Pizza Girl came in and sat at the end of the bar, trying to dig details about Janet's living arrangement from her, but figuring out quickly they'd picked the wrong night for that.

About a half hour later she saw Ikey come in, looking like he had just showered and without his trademark Red Sox hat. She understood why a bit later when a young woman she didn't recognize came in and she and Ikey found their way to a table on the opposite side of Sully's as Owen and Allison.

If she wasn't so darned preoccupied with concern over Eddie she'd probably be amused by all these side stories going on.

As if reading her mind, Eddie walked in and Janet sensed him immediately. She was torn between concern for him and anger at the childish way he'd left earlier. He walked right past her out the back door, not taking his eyes off of her until the door had closed behind him. Janet shot Karen a look and Karen nodded her head, and Janet took off through the back door as well.

"No shots this time?" Eddie asked solemnly, standing off to the side, kicking at the dirt.

"Didn't seem appropriate." Janet countered, arms folded in front of her. Autumn was almost upon them, and this night was colder than most.

"True. So, you know about Ryan?" Eddie asked, still maintaining his distance.

"I do. But, I'd like to hear about it from you if you don't mind. " Janet said quietly.

"He can't drink. You know?" Eddie said quietly.

"I know."

"He destroyed his marriage, his career, his liver… and now he's going to destroy the part of **my** liver that I gave him three years ago."

Janet nodded her head. She and Eddie had been friends when he'd left town for several weeks three years ago. But she hadn't known, as far as she knew no one did, that he had left the Ridge on a mercy mission to save his brother's life by donating a piece of his liver.

"And, the worst part? He's going to die if he doesn't fix this soon." Eddie said, anger punctuating every word.

"So what are you going to do about it, Eddie?" Janet asked.

"I have no idea." Eddie said, looking over at Janet like a lost little boy.

"I mean it, Latekka. What are you going to do about Ryan?" Janet prodded.

Eddie didn't say anything, he just walked towards Janet. She looked at him with compassion and he took her into his arms, holding her so close she could barely breath. Eddie didn't get upset, but instead he seemed to gain strength from her. After a moment or so, Eddie made his decision.

"I guess I'm going to Boston." Eddie said, with a quick lift of his eyebrows. He bent down and kissed Janet lightly, then he offered his hand to her as they made his way back into Sully's.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Eddie and Janet walked back in the back door just as Nick and Ronnie walked in the front door. Hannah, who had done a decent job of ignoring Ray all night, couldn't do the same when Nick walked in. Pizza Girl caught her staring and nudged her. Eddie walked away from Janet, who went back to work, and approached Nick.

"Hey pal, I'm sorry for the short notice but I have a bit of a family emergency. I have to head to Boston tomorrow. Something's up with my big bro." Eddie told the truth, but didn't reveal any more than he wanted to. Eddie kept everything close to the vest.

"That's cool, Eddie. Whatever you need. We'll cover. I'll tell Ikey." Nick offered, knowing better than to pry.

"Brofus, didn't you say that Ikey was gonna be here on a hot date tonight?" Ronnie asked as he surveyed the pub, "Yep, there he is. And, there she is. Whoa. She's hot."

"Reaaaaaallllllly? Way to go Ik….." Eddie said, shaking his head as if his eyes were playing tricks on him, he looked up and rolled his eyes before continuing, "You have got to be kidding me. This is just not my day."

Eddie left the confused Nick and Ronnie in his dust, walked up to Ikey's table, pulled out a chair and turned it around before sitting down. He didn't seem to mind interrupting Ikey's date that was clearly going well. The woman's hand that had been intertwined with Ikey's immediately pulled back when she saw Eddie approach.

Eddie stared back and forth between the two, clearly not amused.

"Ikey. Jillian. What goes on?" Eddie asked, clearly unhappy.

"Jill, you know my buddy here?" Ikey asked, clearly bummed because he figured that he'd met yet another one of Eddie's former conquests.

"Yep, I know him," Jill replied, smiling at Eddie, but shaking her head from side to side, "But, as usual, I think his timing sucks."

"I disagree. I'd say my timing is pretty damned perfect. Ikey, what the hell do you think you are doing with my little sister?"


	24. Chapter 24

_It was a busy night at Sully's, the Sox were playing the Yankees, and it seemed like everyone who couldn't be at Fenway Park wanted to be watching the game at Sully's. _

"Whoa, your little sister? No, no, no… Dude…. your sister is JJ… and she's like 12 years old. She wears braces…. Total Tom Boy…" Ikey said, raised eyebrows, looking back and forth between Eddie and Jillian in disbelief.

"You're an idiot, Ikey," Eddie said, lightly slapping the backside of Ikey's head, "This _is_ JJ… Jillian Josephine Latekka. She was 13 when she left the Ridge …. but that was 12 years ago, pal."

_Janet, busy at the bar, glanced over and noticed Eddie's interest in Ikey's date. She did a double take when she saw Eddie's arm gently resting on the back of the girl's chair. He was too comfortable, and the girl was too pretty, for her liking. Her focus on bartending suffered --putting her behind on her drink orders, and making her a little grumpy._

"And you? You don't seem at all that surprised that the guy you're having drinks with here is my old friend Ikey. What goes on with that, JJ?" Eddie asked looking at his sister incredulously.

"It's Jillian… 'James'," Jillian teased her brother, "And, I didn't know that the guy I met this morning was your friend… at first. But I just couldn't get over how familiar he seemed, you know? So, I described him to the hotel manager at the Johnson Inn, Trisha 'something or other.' She knew exactly who I was talking about. Imagine that. I just love small towns."

Jillian looked proud of herself for her detective work. Ikey looked scared. He'd briefly dated Trisha and it didn't end well, as he'd taken a page from the old 'Eddie Latekka handbook', "That ain't good. What else she tell you?"

"Enough. But, I took a chance," Jillian flirted with Ikey. Eddie just crossed his arms in front of him and rolled his eyes.

"You know what, Buddy? I'm going to steal my sister for a few minutes. There's someone I want to introduce her to… " Eddie said, standing up, and not waiting for a response from Ikey. He grabbed Jillian's hand and started to pull her away from the table towards the bar.

"I'll be right back, Ikey. And, I'll bring us another round." Jillian shouted, over the roar of a happy Red Sox crowd, as she looked back over her shoulder. She winked at Ikey, who was just sitting there in shock.

"Seriously, Eddie…. You want to introduce me to someone? That was the best you could come up with, bro?" Jillian was highly amused at what she perceived to be her brother's attempt to get her away from Ikey.

"I do want to introduce you to someone …. someone very important to me," Eddie said as they approached a very busy Janet, "Janet, got a minute?"

Janet briefly glanced up at Eddie, and the girl, trying to stave off jealousy, "I'm busy, Eddie. Can I catch you later?"

"You okay, Janet?" Eddie asked, confused, and slightly let down. Janet saw the look on Eddie's face and immediately felt bad.

"Sorry." Janet said with an apologetic smile as she signaled for them to meet her at the end of the bar, "What goes on, Eddie?"

"Another surprise... but, a good one. I was talking to Nick, and Ronnie says Ikey's here on 'hot date' and I…" Eddie started to say, but was interrupted by Jillian.

"Wait a minute, Ronnie? Not little Ronnie Garrett?"Jillian said with excitement as she looked around the room trying to find the grown up version of Ronnie Garrett. Eddie just rolled his eyes. Janet looked less than amused.

"So, I look over at Ikey's 'date' and there she is, here at Sully's... here in the Ridge… my kid sister, Jillian. Jillian, this is my girlfriend Janet. Not sure if you remember her," Eddie said putting his arm around Janet and kissing her cheek.

Janet looked up at Eddie and then took a closer look at Jillian, sure she'd known JJ years ago and she'd seen a picture, or two, that Eddie had, but none of the pictures were recent. Janet just looked up at Eddie, "Seriously, Eddie? This is little JJ? Little JJ that I used to babysit? Oh my god! JJ!"

Janet squirmed from under Eddie's arm, grabbed Jillian and hugged her tight and then pulled back to take another look to make sure it was really her.

"Janet, you were, without a doubt, the best babysitter ever. You were … very cool. AND you made the best strawberry frappes I've ever tasted in my life. Believe me, I've tried to find better." Jillian went on and on, since finding out that Eddie had moved in with Janet, she'd begun to think back to her days in the Ridge.

Eddie put his arm back around Janet, thrilled to see her and Jillian together in the same room. Janet put her arm around Eddie, so happy for him that his baby sister was standing there with him.

"Let me tell you, I remember being SO excited when my parents would tell me you were babysitting. So much better than when they'd tell me they were leaving me with Ryan or Eddie. I'm lucky _I survived_ being babysat by them." Jillian couldn't resist giving Eddie a hard time.

"Oh, I knew that you were in a world of hurt with those two big brothers of yours. I felt sorry for you. That's why I worked cheap," Janet also teased Eddie, and then something occurred to her, "Hey, Jillian, are you staying with us too? If you are, we have an airbed in the front hall closet, and sheets in the bathroom closet. Unfortunately, I'm not getting out of here until, well, late…"

"She's staying at the Johnson Inn tonight, but I think she should stay with us tomorrow night." Eddie looked at Janet for approval.

Jillian countered, "I don't want to impose, Janet, especially with my parents staying there. Besides, if all goes as planned, I think Eddie and I will be heading to Boston tomorrow."

"I don't think so, Jill…" Eddie started to say, before Janet put her hand on his arm, and cut him off. At the same time, she noticed that she was getting a cross look from Sully so she rushed the conversation along to get back to work.

"Why don't you come over for breakfast tomorrow morning, say… 9:30? Eddie'll give you directions. You two can hash this out then. I've really got to get back to work," Janet reluctantly said as she stood on her tip toes and kissed her boyfriend hard on the lips.

Jillian watched the interaction, clearly pleased with what she was seeing. She looked back at Ikey and noticed that two guys had joined him at his table. It immediately occurred to her that they had to be Nick and Ronnie Garrett.

"Hey Janet, since you're sleeping with my brother and all, do you think I can I cut in line at the bar? I need to get a couple of pitchers of beer and some glasses." Jillian bargained.

"If you put it like that, it seems only fair," Janet responded with a laugh as she watched Eddie try to hide a smirk, and as she quickly surveyed the crowd at the bar, "But I can't bring them over 'til I catch up."

"Not a problem. Lend me a tray and I'll bring them over. How'd ya think I'm paying my rent during med school?" Jillian offered with a wide smile.

Janet filled the pitchers, and with some help from Eddie, Jillian brought the beer to the table and she rejoined her date, already in progress.

Eddie took off to go hang out with his parents, but not before admonishing Ikey to make sure his sister was going to be put in a cab, alone, when it was time to head out.

Ronnie and Nick stuck around, and for a few minutes, Jillian felt like she was a fifth wheel on a boy's night out. But slowly, between the pitchers of beer she bought, and the dirty jokes she told, Jillian found her way into the conversation and into the hearts of all of the men at that table… especially the heart of a very intrigued David Eichorn.


	25. Chapter 25

Janet lay there, having just woken, with her eyes closed. Not that she could sleep-in this morning; she thought to herself in her not-quite-awake state. After all, she had a house full of Latekkas to feed. Her alarm clock would be going off soon, but Janet was surprised that she felt so rested after only getting a couple of hours sleep.

She was startled when she felt someone sit down on the bed, right next to her, and she was pleasantly surprised when she felt Eddie's warm lips slowly brush over hers. All of her senses began to waken with that gentle, but sexy, kiss. Janet, still not opening her eyes, attempted to deepen the kiss, clearly wanting more, but she was surprised and disappointed, when Eddie pulled back.

It was only then that she opened her eyes and looked at him. He was dressed, sitting there, smiling at her.

"Time to wake up, sunshine," Eddie said as Janet turned to the side and glanced at her alarm clock. The time on the clock startled her and she bolted upright.

"Damn it, Eddie, my alarm clock didn't go off. I have to go make…." Janet tried to push Eddie out of the way to get out of bed. Eddie just sat there like a rock and Janet couldn't move past him.

"Breakfast? Breakfast is ready; Jillian's here; all we're missing is… you." Eddie seemed pleased with himself, "I may have neglected to mention that my dad makes the best damned waffles on the east coast."

"Hmmmm…." Janet sighed, relaxing and snaking her arms around his neck, "Did you _watch_ him make breakfast? Because, I may have neglected to tell **you** … that I find breakfast in bed very, **very** sexy."

"Reaaallllly? Good to know," Eddie said as he leaned in for a hungry kiss, pushing Janet back on the bed.

Unfortunately, they didn't get too far when they heard a knock on the door.

"Eddie, is Janet awake? Breakfast is getting cold," Marie Latekka called out from the other side of the door. Eddie reluctantly sat back up and looked at Janet apologetically.

Janet smiled, as she called out, "I'm awake, Marie. I'll be out in two minutes."

"Two minutes?" Eddie whispered in sarcastic disappointment, as he leaned in for another kiss – but Janet pushed him back, as she got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. He sighed deeply in defeat, and then admiringly watched as Janet crossed the room and disappeared into the bathroom, and then Eddie made his way back out to the kitchen.

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

Towards the end of breakfast, Janet sat back, sipping her coffee, just admiring this family that she was surrounded by, but of which she was not quite a part. She was amazed by the ease they had with each other, how close they still were, in spite of the time they spent apart. And, as Janet took it all in she was something she was rarely accused of – quiet and reserved.

"Janet, tell us… how exactly did you get my big brother to finally grow up? I lost a $20 bet on that one." Jillian tried to engage Janet, as she took another bite of waffle.

"A bet? Seriously? Tell me more…. " Janet perked up, liking where this might be going.

"Well, she may have lost the bet, but I still haven't seen the $20." Jim laughed and winked at his daughter.

"You guys made a bet about me? What goes on with that?" Eddie looked at his father with feigned hurt.

"Hey, I bet **on** **you**, son. Your sister said you'd be old and gray before you committed to a real relationship. I'm a gambling man, so I took the long shot and won." Jim seemed pleased with himself as he stuffed another piece of bacon in his mouth as he looked to Janet and raised a glass of OJ, "Thank you, Ms. Meadows."

Janet smiled at Jim, and raised her cup of coffee to him.

"I appreciate the support, Dad," Eddie said sarcastically, as his mother laughed. Eddie looked over at his mother, "You too?"

Marie responded with a smirk, while waving her hands, "I had no money on that horse. I swear."

"Bogus, Mom. Don't act all innocent. Tell him about the $30 you had on whether he'd knock someone up before he turned 30." Jillian tattled with glee.

"Jillian!" Marie gave her daughter a 'don't do this to me' look. Jillian just shrugged her shoulders and laughed. Janet laughed as well, enjoying the repartee between the various members of the Latekka family. Eddie turned red, but laughed as he shook his head at his mother. Janet leaned closer to Eddie, rubbed his arm, and kissed his cheek.

"Looks like you lost that one, Marie. Eddie's 30th birthday is just around the corner and there are no little Latekka's running around." Janet said, and then whispered to Eddie loud enough that everyone could hear, "There are no little Latekkas, right, Eddie?"

Eddie glanced sideways at Janet, and laughed at Janet with his eyes, "Hey, whose side you on anyway?"

"Yours, Eddie. Always." Janet said with a more serious tone than the room had held, and she and her lover's eyes locked. Eddie and Janet kissed briefly, forgetting the crowd around them.

After the kiss, Eddie turned back to his family and asked as he helped himself to another piece of bacon, "So, Mom, who'd you lose the $30 bucks to?"

"I didn't lose a penny. Your grandmother, on the other hand, is out 30 bucks." Marie smiled at her boy.

"Ouch. You're killing me here. Grandma?" Eddie pretended to grab his heart. Just then they heard a knock at the door.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Sam, what goes on?" Eddie asked as Sam walked in, both he and Eddie waiving to Hannah as she drove away.

"Not much, Eddie. You seem surprised to see me. You forgot, didn't you?" Sam asked, in his grown up manner.

"Forget? ... Yeah, Sam, I think forgot. Sorry, pal. What did I forget?" Eddie said, clearly feeling badly.

"Twelve months of delivering newspapers, every penny of my birthday money, every penny of my Christmas money and one particularly disgusting day helping my mom at the vet -- but now I finally have all the money I need to buy my Wii. You said you'd take me to buy it today. "

Eddie looked conflicted, "Oh, man. I hate to let you down, Sam, but I can't do it today."

"It's okay, Eddie. We can go some other day. " Sam said, clearly disappointed, but trying to not let it show.

"And, we will, Sam. You know what, buddy? My family is here. Come on into the other room and meet them. They haven't been back to the Ridge in… well, I don't know how long. I'm actually heading back to Boston with them for a day or two. But, when I get back we can…" Eddie started to say as they walked towards the kitchen.

"Is Janet going? If she's not going, maybe she'll go with me to get my Wii." Sam said.

"Janet's not going." Eddie said, and making sure he was within ear shot of her, Eddie continued, "We can ask her, Sam. But, you should know that she's not exactly a Wii expert. To tell you the truth? Janet has the low score on pretty much every Wii game we own…."

"Hey, I heard that. For the record, I'd have better Wii scores if I sat around playing it morning, noon and night in my underwear, like you do, Latekka." Janet said giving Eddie a flirty scowl as she got up and walked towards Sam, giving him a warm hug, "Hey Sam, good to see you. Have you eaten breakfast?"

"Yep. I had waffles too… but mine were from a box." Sam said with a shrug and a smile.

"Hey, buddy, let me introduce you to my family. This is my mom, Marie, and my dad, Jim, and this is my baby sister, Jillian. Everyone, this is the coolest kid in the Ridge, Sam Daniels. Hannah's son."

"We've heard a lot about you, Sam," Jim stated as the Latekka family fawned over Sam.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Eddie and his family got ready to go and Janet saw them to the door. The last to leave was Eddie.

"Good luck, Eddie. Call me and let me know what goes on with Ryan," Janet said, standing very close to Eddie, holding his hands as she whispered, "And, for the record, you'd best come home as soon as you can. You started something this morning…."

"I did, didn't I? Two minutes? What were you thinking," Eddie flirted as he leaned in for a chaste kiss, keenly aware that Sam was in the room and watching their every move.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Eddie said, touching Janet's face softly, and then he whispered, "I love you, Janet."

"You too." Janet said, her eyes filling up, and then she pushed him out the door gently, "Go. The sooner you leave…"

Jillian left her car behind because she had every intention of returning to the Ridge. Janet watched as Eddie, with Jillian in his truck, and his parent's in their Range Rover, made their way out of her driveway and down her street.

Janet closed the door and turned her attention to Sam.

"So, are you good with going shopping for your Wii with me?" Janet asked, arms crossed, secretly happy that it was her that got to help Sam out.

"Sure. You **do** know about Wii's right? Like, you know everything I need to get and all?" Sam quizzed Janet, who suddenly felt a little insecure in her ability to help him out.

"That's a lot of pressure, dude." Janet laughed, "Tell you what, Sam. You give Eddie a call, and have him tell you everything we need to get. I'm going to take a quick shower, okay?"

"Okay. I'm gonna have to make a list – do you have a pen and paper?" Sam said, as Janet made her way into her bedroom. She yelled from behind the door, "In my desk, Sam. Help yourself."

Sam heard the shower turn on, and he walked over to the desk and grabbed the phone, and then he began to rifle through the drawers for paper and a pen. Sam found a pen quickly, but struggled to find paper. He opened the lower drawer where he finally found a pile of stationary under a book of some kind. When he picked up the book to get the paper that sat beneath it, a photo of Ray and his kids, Casper and Jasper, fell out. Sam looked at the picture for a moment before carefully placing it on the desk, and then he proceeded to call Eddie.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Janet came out of her bedroom fully dressed and ready to go. She has rushed because she didn't want to keep Sam waiting. Sam was sitting on the couch; the phone that he had just hung up was still in his hand.

"All set, Sam?" Janet asked, walking to her desk and grabbing her keys. She glanced down at the picture Sam had left out, and her eyes dropped to the lower drawer. The memory of putting the book in the desk flashed back in her mind. She placed the keys back where she found them.

She turned to Sam and gave him a weak smile, "I see that you found my 'Cataldo family history' book."

"Sorry, Janet. I wasn't snooping or anything. It just fell out when I was looking for paper," Sam said squinting his eyes a bit.

"Oh, I know that, Sam. It's okay….really," Janet said gently, walking over and sitting down next to Sam on the couch, "I guess you and I haven't really talked about Ray being my brother."

"How's that going?" Sam asked, clearly curious. He placed the phone on the coffee table.

"Truthfully? It's not really going at all," Janet admitted, "I'm still sore at Ray about … well, about a lot of stuff."

"I'm pretty mad at Ray too….but, what about Jasper and Casper? I don't like them much ... but that's not really their fault. I pretty much blame everything on them having Ray and Christine for parents. That'd mess anyone up. But, I think they'd be lucky to have a cool aunt like you in their lives. You know -- someone who could be a good influence on them."

Janet sat back, clearly thinking about what Sam had just said to her, "You've thought about this a bit, haven't you Sam?"

"I just think that there has got to be something to the whole 'biological' DNA thing, you know?" Sam was quiet for a minute before quietly asking, "I really think you should consider getting to know Casper and Jasper better."

"I'll tell you what, I'll think about it. Okay?" Janet found herself really thinking about Casper and Jasper being her nephews and what that really meant, but she could tell that Sam just really wanted to talk, "What's on your mind, Sam?"

Sam looked at Janet as if he wasn't sure if he wanted to ask the next question on his mind, "Janet, how'd it feel to find out your dad wasn't your dad?"

Janet just looked at Sam, thinking for the first time about the similarities between her situation and Sam's.

"Hmmm, well,… finding out I wasn't his biological daughter, that I wasn't a Meadows, did hurt a bit. And, it made me sad. But I know, no matter what, that my dad loved me more than anything in the world, biology or no biology. My dad will always be my dad…. "

Sam looked at Janet, as if trying to decide whether to share something or not. After a moment he responded, "Gavin Goddard… isn't my father."

Janet was silent, surprised at what Sam had just said, but carefully not confirming, not denying.

"My Mom has never said it," Sam continued, "But, I just know it. I like Gavin, he's a nice guy and all, but he's just not my father. I just want to know who my real father is ... I want him to be a good guy. Who knows? Maybe I have a brother or sister… maybe I have an aunt like you. Or, maybe an uncle … like Ronnie…"

"I don't really know what to say, Sam," Janet said quietly, at a loss, "Have you talked to your Mom about this?"

"I can't. I don't want to hurt her feelings. It's always been just the two of us and that's been okay, you know? I just don't want her to think that she isn't good enough." Sam shrugged his shoulders as he teared up a bit.

"Sam, no matter what, your Mom knows how much you love her. She really does. But, this? What you're worried about? She needs to know." Janet said as she placed her hand gently on Sam's shoulder, "You need to talk to her."

Sam and Janet sat there, side by side on the couch, not talking for a few moments while Sam thought about what he wanted to do.

"Janet, do you think maybe we could go shopping tomorrow?" Sam asked, as Janet nodded her head, and pointed at the door.

"I wouldn't have it any other way. Come on, buddy, let's go."

Sam just smiled at Janet, and he and Janet headed out on a mission to find Hannah Daniels -- and to help Sam Daniels find out the truth about his paternity.


	26. Chapter 26

Eddie and Jillian made the most of their ride to Boston together.

They laughed at their parent's driving style, giving up on 'going to speed limit' and passing them about 15 minutes into the drive -- knowing they'd catch up with them at home.

And, they talked. Eddie and Jillian's conversation was balanced by Jillian's chatty, more outgoing nature and Eddie's more reserved nature. Jillian spent the first 30 minutes of the drive trying to pull any, and all, information about Eddie and Janet out of her emotionally protective brother.

"Uncle. Enough already… No more questions about me and Janet," Eddie tried to hide his grin, "New subject."

"No fair, you haven't given up nearly enough information. It's clear that I'm just going to have to spend some quality time with Janet. A girl's night out perhaps. I'll get it out of her." Jillian insisted playfully.

"I don't think so, JJ. Janet and me? We kind of have an understanding. Neither one of us is all that experienced at the whole relationship thing, so we've kind of made up our own rules. One of them is keeping what goes on between us – between just us." Eddie shared.

"I understand. But, hey, look what I just did. I just got you to give up more info," Jillian teased, before continuing, "Eddie, I really do like Janet. I know I don't know her all that well yet... but I already know that she would make an amazing sister in law. Better than Ginny, that's for sure."

Jillian didn't try to hide her dislike for Ryan's currently MIA wife. Eddie smiled at Jillian's observation, but again tried not to show his cards.

"I'm happy that you like Janet as much as you do. I really am. But, my love life is now officially off limits." Eddie loved his sister, but he had gone as far as he felt he should in talking about Janet.

"Okay, then let's talk about MY love life." Jillian suggested.

"If by your love life you want to talk about Ikey, I'll pass. I just don't want to know..." Eddie said good naturedly.

"Fine... Something else for me to talk to Janet about..." Jillian said lightly, looking out the window.

Jillian paused, and looked over at Eddie, trying to decide what she wanted to talk about next. She skipped what she really wanted to talk about as she tried to keep the conversation fairly light.

"I'm having fun hanging out with you, Eddie. I wish we could have hung out more growing up," Jillian said, seeming content to hang out with Eddie now.

"I know, kiddo. I wish we could have too. But, just think of the torture you missed out on. Just think about the boyfriends I would have run off. The teasing? You would have gotten sick of having me around pretty quickly." Eddie said, focused on driving, but glancing over at his sister briefly, smiling at her with his eyes.

"Amazingly enough, you got plenty of teasing in on those quick visits. I think you may have even scared off a boy or two…" Jillian said as if she were realizing it for the first time.

"Quality, JJ, not quantity…" Eddie said, sensing that all this banter, and light conversation was masking something else, "Listen, I may not have been around all that much, but I have spent enough time with you to know that you clearly have something else on your mind. Tell me. What goes on with you?"

Jillian looked at Eddie and decided he was the one person who could understand everything that she had going on in her mind.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Hannah was helping a pet owner over the phone when Sam and Janet arrived at the Vets office. It was pretty obvious that the conversation had been going on for some time. Hannah saw them come in and waived them over.

"Yes, Mrs. Mitchell, that's right. Yep. I did say to cut the beef and chicken out of your dog's diet, and she should stop scratching. Try it for a couple of weeks and give us a call if it doesn't work….. Okay… Yes. Yes. An allergy. Uh huh. Okay. You're welcome." Hannah put the phone done, rolled her eyes, and broke out into a wide smile. Janet gave her a 'I know exactly what you mean' look.

"Hey Sam, Janet… this is a surprise, I thought Eddie was taking you shopping, Rock Star?" Hannah asked with subtle curiosity.

"Eddie had to go to Boston, so Janet said she'd fill in," Sam told his Mom.

"Boston, really?" Hannah said looking at Janet out of concern, but Janet waived her off, "That's nice of you, Janet, thanks. But what are you two doing here; do you need more money?"

"No. Actually… I need to talk to you. I REALLY need to talk to you." Sam stressed to his mother.

"Okay, shoot." Hannah replied lightly looking back and forth between Sam and Janet.

"This is pretty big, Mom. Can you take a break?" Hannah just looked at Sam, and then to Janet who was slowly nodding her head, trying to mentally send a message to her best friend.

"Okay, of course.... Give me a sec, I'll be right back." Hannah's face was full of confusion, and concern, as she walked away.

"Sam, I'm just going to run an errand, call me when…" Janet said, but she stopped when Sam grabbed her hand.

"Please don't leave, Janet. Please?" Sam seemed nervous.

"Sam, I shouldn't… This is between you and your Mom." Janet was uncomfortable being in the middle.

"Just stay. Please." Sam begged. Janet hesitated, but then she nodded.

Hannah came back in the room, "Okay, Amy's going to cover. Let's go out back to the picnic tables, okay?"

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"It's Ryan, of course. He's on my mind all the time. I'm just so worried about him. He's so messed up right now. What am I saying? He's been messed up so long that I have a hard time remembering how he used to be. You know? Everything would be different if he had just stayed in the Ridge with you," Jillian said softly.

"Wait. What's that supposed to mean?" Eddie asked, confused.

"I've thought about this a lot. **A lot**, Eddie. He hasn't been happy, not really, since he left. I know it's been over 10 years… but I remember how happy he used to be. Don't you? How much he loved being 'Ryan Latekka' in the Ridge. Sports hero. Loved by all the girls. Hell, he was you … before you were you." Jillian shrugged her shoulders, as she shared what had been on her mind for so long. Eddie couldn't deny that Ryan hadn't paved the way for him to be the legend he had become in the Ridge.

"I just don't think Ryan'd be the way he is today if he'd stayed where he felt comfortable, where he had an identity." Jillian said, looking over at Eddie.

Eddie let Jillian go on, knowing this had been bubbling in her for some time.

"And let's not forget that the rough years of Dad drinking came after we moved away from the Ridge… He followed Dad's plan and went to college when all he really wanted to do was take his chances with the NHL amateur draft out of high-school. And, then he got that stupid back injury and hockey – his one true love -- was gone forever. And, don't get me started on him marrying Ginny. That marriage was doomed before it ever began..."

Eddie just looked sideways at Jillian, and gave her an understanding nod. No one had really understood Ryan and Ginny. She was way too high maintenance for the laid back Ryan Latekka.

"Ryan just never seemed to adapt to life outside the Ridge. I think that's what the drinking was all about. Liquid courage, you know?" Jillian continued.

Eddie just raised his eyebrows and exhaled. He'd used alcohol as 'liquid courage' many a time, but somehow managed for it not to become an addiction -- even though he knew alcohol was an addiction for his recovering alcoholic father and his not so recovering alcoholic brother.

"I get it, Jill. Sorry you had to deal with all of this without me around to help you." Eddie felt badly, and let his sister know it.

"Don't say that, Eddie. None of this is your fault. You did ... what you needed to do. And, I'm glad, because now… we don't have to worry about you too." Jillian said with relief.

Eddie nodded, clearly understanding what Jillian was saying.

"One more thing Eddie… you need to know something else about Ryan before we go see him tomorrow." Jillian said cautiously.

"What do I need to know?" Eddie asked.

"Lately, when he's wasted… which is pretty much all the time…he's been getting angry with you. He's got it in his head that you just nonchalantly threw away your football dreams. He says it's not fair… you know, because of what happened to him. I don't know why he's bringing it up now, after all this time, Eddie. And, I swear, I'm not saying this to hurt you. I'm only telling you because I don't want you to be caught off guard." Jillian got the words out, but it wasn't easy.

Eddie shook his head from side to side, getting a little agitated, and clenching his jaw a bit he continued, "I get it, JJ. I appreciate you looking out for me. But, why the hell didn't he talk to me about it? I would have told him what went on. I always figured that he, more than anyone, would know that there was nothing easy about it… Nothing at all."

"You know it's not him, Eddie, it's the alcohol. He needs an excuse to drink, and you are, unfortunately, the flavor of the week..." Jillian said hesitantly.

Eddie didn't say a word, or even respond; he remembered the last intervention and his dad taking the brunt of Ryan's aggression. He began to mentally prepare for what would be a tough battle the next day.

Eddie and Jillian remained quiet through the rest of the trip. Jillian had shared what she need to share, and both became lost in thought about their big brother, and about what tomorrow would bring.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"What's on your mind, Sam" Hannah said as she sat across from him at the picnic table. Janet sat on the same side as Sam, but purposely sat as far away from them as she could get, and yet be at the same table.

"My dad." Sam said without hesitation.

"What about Gavin?" Hannah asked, confused, looking first at Sam, at then at Janet. Janet looked away.

"I know Gavin's not my father. I figured that out a long time ago." Sam stared his mother in the eye. Sam spoke without anger, without resentment, and without hurt.

Hannah exhaled sharply -- her head was spinning and her heart racing. She sat in stunned silence as Sam continued.

"I love you, Mom, but I'm getting older, I'm almost 12 already. And, we've kind of beat around the bush about this, but… I want to know my real father. I need to know the truth." Sam laid his heart out there, as Hannah sat there, stunned.

"Sam…" Hannah continued with her heart in her stomach. She hesitated. He just looked back at her with his big, beautiful, trusting eyes.

"The truth, Sam…." Hannah looked over at Janet as if she wanted her to fix this for her, but Janet just silently begged Hannah to tell the truth.

"The truth, Sam, is that…" Hannah reached across the table and took Sam's hands in hers, and looked him in the eye, "You, Sam Daniels, are the best thing that ever happened to me. Ever. You know that, don't you? But, before you? I went through a really bad time. I was pretty messed up, buddy. I made mistakes. So many mistakes. But those crazy mistakes led me to the best thing that ever happened to me. You."

Hannah leaned back a bit, and looked up at the sky, as if saying a prayer.

"Here goes… you're right. Gavin's not your father. And, I am so sorry that I ever lied to you about that. But ... _I can't believe I'm telling you this_… I don't know who your father is, Sam. I should, but I don't…"

Hannah looked down, embarrassed, tears forming in her eyes. Sam, who never wanted to see him Mom upset, immediately got up and walked around the table and threw his arms around his mom's neck.

"It's okay, Mom." Sam offered. Tears fell down Janet's face as she watched Sam comforting Hannah.

"No. It's not okay, Sam. It's not okay at all." Hannah said, holding Sam at arms length, and looking him in the eye, "But I can fix this – I swear. I'm going to figure out who your dad is -- as soon as I can. Your mom's got some work to do."

"So, this work… how long are we talking?" Sam asked, taking a seat on the bench next to Hannah, his back to Janet.

"I don't know. But I promise… I'll find out as soon as I can." Hannah said, pulling Sam towards her, and hugging him tightly. Hannah held Sam close as she looked over his head at Janet and exhaled deeply.

They both knew without saying, they'd be talking about this more later… over drinks at Sully's.


	27. Chapter 27

_When last we left our friends in the Ridge… Eddie and the rest of the Latekka family were on their way to Boston to stage an intervention with Eddie's older brother Ryan -- while back in the Ridge, Hannah devised her plan to honor her promise to her son and determine, once and for all, just whose DNA matched Sam's Y chromosome._

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

It was officially the first day of fall and Eddie, finally back in his trademark flannel shirts after a hot summer, had clearly drawn the short straw. His family had unanimously voted him to be the one to walk up to Ryan's door and knock. Eddie, having never actually seen Ryan's new home, stopped briefly to check out the condominium, and to shake his head at the pitiful looking lawn, before proceeding up the walk way.

As he approached the front door, Eddie noticed the mail that was bulging out of Ryan's mailbox, newspapers that were accumulating on the front steps and delivery stickers that were plastered on the front door.

Trying not to be too obvious, Eddie peeked in the one window that allowed a view of what appeared to be Ryan's living room. He didn't see Ryan, but he did see an open pizza box, several discarded beer cans, and a few liquor bottles lazily discarded on the floor.

Eddie grimaced, and shook his head in disgust, as he leaned forward to ring the doorbell.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Back in the Ridge, Hannah paced back and forth in her kitchen, warm cup of coffee in hand. Her plan to determine Sam's paternity was beginning to formulate in her head. She had lost sleep the night before because she was worried about how her bad behavior all those years ago, along with the lies she had told every day since, would wreak havoc in the lives of her friends.

Hannah was outright determined to find a method of discovery that would cause the least collateral damage. With the plan gaining more credibility in her mind, she sat down at her laptop and _googled_ "DNA testing."

X0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x

Eddie leaned on the door bell again and knocked several times for good measure. He'd lost count of how many times his finger had pressed that darned buzzer. There was no movement or noise in the house. No TV. No radio.

Watching Eddie clearly striking out at the front door, Jillian, still in the car, called both of Ryan's phone numbers. She redialed several times, getting no response.

Eddie could hear the house phone ringing from where he stood, and because of that, his worry about Ryan's lack of responsiveness grew. Eddie tried every expected, and unexpected, spare key hiding place he could think of and he almost gave up -- until he noticed the cherub garden ornament that sat in the middle of the small flower garden. Pay dirt. Eddie pulled out the key and made his way back to the front door. After glancing over his shoulder at the rest of his family members, still seated in the car, Eddie took a deep breath, turned the key in the lock, and opened the front door.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Hannah came back from a pharmacy in Bishop Flats with the DNA tests neatly tucked in her bag between a newspaper and a magazine. She wasn't taking any chances. Her neighbor, Mrs. Trufant, was the nosiest neighbor in the Ridge, and considering all the nosy folks in the Ridge? That was saying a lot.

She also knew several people that worked in both of the Knight's Ridge pharmacies and, realizing that she needed to be as discreet as possible, she wisely chose to drive the extra 30 minutes, each way, to pick up her DNA kits.

Hannah made her way into the kitchen, and after nervously staring at the phone for a few moments, she picked it up and then put it back down. She paced a bit before summoning the courage to dial a number she knew all too well. After several rings she heard a familiar voice pick up, "Hello."

"Hey, it's me… Hannah. I need to see you. Can you come by my house?" Hannah bit her lip, not sure if she was hoping for a positive response or not.

"Anything for you, beautiful," Big Cat smiled widely. He wasn't anywhere near over Hannah, and this was a welcome opening. "I'll be right there."

Hannah put down the phone and took out the first DNA kit, holding it with her shaking hands like it was a lost treasure. After confiding in the pharmacist, and getting direction from her, Hannah felt like she had a good handle on how this would all work. If she could get the DNA samples collected, and over-nighted to the lab, she – and more importantly Sam -- could know the results… in less than a week. Of course that meant that the father would also know, but Hannah decided she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.

Now, all she needed to do was begin telling her story to those potential fathers and hope that they would have 1/10th the compassion and understanding that her son had shown her.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Eddie realized he was holding his breath and he quickly exhaled. He walked through the living room and kitchen calling out for Ryan over and over. He stopped for a second to take in his surroundings – the mess, the smell. It was clear that Ryan hadn't hired a maid service nor had he given cleaning even a moment of his time.

He went upstairs and opened the door to the first room he saw. In sharp contrast to what he'd seen thus far, the office/spare bedroom was clean and organized, as if it hadn't been touched since Ginny left. Eddie closed that door and tried the next one, and that's where he found Ryan, fully clothed, passed out on the bed. He hesitated before entering the room, worried that he would find his brother dead.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Hannah?" Ray said as he let himself into the house.

"In here, Ray." Hannah yelled from the kitchen.

When Ray walked into the kitchen he saw that Hannah was sitting at the table and she was obviously in a serious mood. She pointed to the vacant seat to the side of her and Ray sat down.

"You okay Hannah?" Ray asked, obviously concerned, gently placing his hand over hers. Hannah slowly pulled her hand back, and grabbed her coffee cup. She took a long, slow sip, giving herself a second to figure out how to answer that question.

"I've been better." Hannah raised her eyebrows, while Ray just looked concerned.

"I have something to tell you… and you're not going to like it." Hannah said, staring him deep in the eyes.

Ray hesitated for a second, trying to quickly guess what it might be, he began to wonder if this was an admission about her and Nick. He swallowed hard, before hesitantly saying, "Okay, I'm here. Tell me."

Hannah inhaled and nervously smiled at her former fiancé.

"You once asked me if you were Sam's father." Hannah said softly, not breaking eye contact with Ray.

Ray squinted slightly, recalling the exchange. He had started dating Christine at the time, and there was only one answer he wanted to hear, and that was the one he got. He never questioned it again.

"Yeah, I remember. I asked you if I was Sam's father and you said I couldn't be. You said it was Gavin. Timing, and all that." Ray recalled.

"I did say that, Ray. But the truth is..." Hannah started. Ray was quick enough on the uptake to have an idea of where this was going. His head began to spin.

"Truth is what, Hannah? What exactly are you saying?" Ray said, getting upset.

"Truth is… what I'm saying is… I lied to you, Ray." Hannah began before being cut off by Ray.

"You lied to me? About Sam? He's mine?" Ray stared at Hannah with a harshness she'd never witnessed from him, but it gave her a glimpse of why he might be called 'Big Cat.'

"You _could be_ Sam's father." Hannah snapped, tears were forming, but she tried valiantly to hold them back.

"I could be Sam's father? I don't understand." Ray was confused, as he stood up and began pacing around the kitchen.

"I think you do, Ray. You know how I was that summer when Nick left. I was a wreck and you know it because… because you took advantage… you know that you did." Hannah's voice began to rise as she began to get defensive.

"You were no victim, lady. Don't try to play it that way," Ray's blood pressure was boiling and he began yelling at Hannah. He slammed his hand down on the table for emphasis, "What were you thinking? If there was even a SLIGHT chance that I was Sam's dad, I had a right to know. We were engaged for god's sake. I wanted to **adopt** Sam. I love that kid."

Hannah couldn't stop the tears. She didn't say a word.

"Shit Hannah, I would have been a good dad to Sam. I swear." Ray said with quiet controlled anger in his voice as he sat back down at the table. He couldn't quite look at Hannah.

"I know you would have, Ray." Hannah admitted, wiping away her tears, "I know that …now. But I didn't know that then."

Ray and Hannah sat in silence for a few moments. Ray's anger didn't wane.

"So, what happens next?" Ray asked, "You said 'could be'. I take it that I'm not the only possibility."

"No, you're not." Hannah said as she nervously held up the swab from the DNA test kit, "But if you're willing to work with me, we can find out… in about a week."

Ray looked at Hannah, and after a lengthy pause, nodded his head in agreement. He leaned forward and took the swab from Hannah. He put it in his mouth, looking to Hannah for confirmation he was doing it right. He scraped the side of his cheek with the swab and grabbed for the plastic bag to put it in. He placed the now sealed bag onto the table, stood up and began to walk away.

"Ray, I have another favor to ask. I am begging you, for Sam's sake, to keep this between you and me. Too many people can be hurt by this if it gets out… **Sam** could be hurt."

Ray stopped in his tracks and shook his head in disbelief. Just before walking out the door, he turned around briefly, "Okay, Hannah, I'll keep your secret, for Sam's sake. But, as soon as those test results come back, I want to know. And, if Sam is my kid? Things are going to change. Make no mistake about it, Hannah Jane, things are going to change."

Hannah just nodded, as she watched Ray leave.

She exhaled deeply and took a few minutes to recover.

She then made her next phone call.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Eddie walked up to Ryan. He felt immediate relief when he realized that his brother was breathing. That sense of relief didn't last long before it turned to something else… anger.

Noticing the open bathroom door Eddie walked to the shower and turned it on at full force with only cold water flowing.

He walked back to the bed, nudged Ryan gently a few times while loudly calling out his name. Ryan moaned, but didn't wake up. Eddie slapped Ryan's face -- not hard, but the slap had the desired effect. Ryan's eyes flew open, and he began to fight back, albeit not very successfully. He stopped, and stared, when he realized it was Eddie standing there in front of him.

Not moving an inch, and still slurring his words, Ryan spit out an angry greeting to his brother, "What the hell, Eddie? Get out of my house."

"What goes on, Ryan? Drink much?" Eddie scowled at Ryan, not an ounce of compassion in his voice, "Get up. We need to talk."

"Talk? To you? I don't think so, bro. Get the hell away from me," An obviously drunk, and annoyed, Ryan railed at Eddie

Ryan stared at Eddie, while Eddie looked down at the floor, trying to control his own anger.

With a whole lot less energy, Ryan continued, "Just go away, Eddie. Go back to the Ridge where you belong."

With that, Ryan started to roll over, attempting to get back to sleep.

"Oh, no you don't." Eddie said under his breath as he gathered his strength and pulled his brother to a sitting position on the bed. Ryan was awake enough that he, not knowing exactly what he was doing, didn't put up to much of a fight as Eddie helped him to a standing position. Eddie walked Ryan right into the bathroom, opened the shower door and attempted to gently drop his brother into the bathtub under the already running ice cold water.

He watched as Ryan recoiled from the feeling of the cold water hitting his skin. Ryan didn't seem to have the energy to get up, so he sat there, fuming, as the water spilled over him, soaking the clothes he was still wearing.

Eddie stepped back, flipped open his phone and called his sister, "Come on in. And we're going to need coffee. Lots and lots of coffee."

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Janet was wearing Eddie's robe, as she opened the door to find Pizza Girl and Allison standing at her front door. Janet had worked the late shift at the bar, and woken up feeling a little groggy.

"This is a nice surprise," Janet said, trying to look and sound cheerful.

"Surprise? Oh, man, you don't remember do you? The real surprise? Eddie's birthday party?" Pizza Girl questioned.

"We were going to do the invitations?" Allison added, trying to coax Janet's memory. It worked.

"The invitations. Oh my god! You two are being so good to help me, and I forgot? What's wrong with me?" Janet said feeling a bit embarrassed, "Come on in, I'll be ready in like, two minutes."

"Are you sure Janet? Are you okay?" Allison's mothering instincts took over.

"I'm fine. Late shift at Sully's and I think I'm fighting something off." Janet said as she headed towards her bedroom, "Give me a minute, I'll be right out."

Pizza Girl and Allison just exchanged curious looks with each other as they made their way into the living room and sat down.

Janet gathered the clothes she wanted to wear and headed to the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face, and then, for the hundredth time looked down at the little oval stick sitting on her vanity shelf. She stared at it a moment longer before carefully placing it back in the box and hiding it under the sink.

She had seen the result yesterday, but she still felt unsure about the news. She was even more uncertain about what Eddie would think. She opened her medicine cabinet and stared at the birth control prescription that she had taken so faithfully, wondering where it had failed her.

Her mind raced as she thought about what would happen when Eddie realized that his mother had lost the bet to his grandmother after all.

Eddie had gone and gotten someone pregnant before his thirtieth birthday and … that someone was her.


	28. Chapter 28

The day had become cloudy and overcast which was fine with Eddie, because it exactly matched the dreary mood in Ryan Latekka's living room.

The intervention had started three hours earlier; each family member had taken their turn trying to get through to Ryan – trying to get him to admit that he needed help. Every time they thought they had turned the corner, every time they thought that Ryan was ready to admit he had a problem, another wave of denial, anger or remorse would tumble out of Ryan's mouth, and they ended up back where they started.

Eddie stared at floor as he felt the frustration coursing through his veins. He ran his hands through his hair as he listened to one excuse, after the other, coming from the mouth of his older brother.

Ryan was rambling in denial, "I am so tired of telling you all that I'm okay. Please just go away. Trust me … I'm gonna be fine. I'm done with the booze. I swear. I hit a bad patch… that's…"

Eddie cut Ryan off mid-sentence, "I'm done. I… am … done. You want to kill yourself? Knock yourself out, pal."

Eddie stood up and crossed the room as he purposefully ignored the gasp his mother expelled. He felt the eyes of every family member on his back.

Slowly he turned around and stared Ryan down.

"I'm serious. I'm done. You know what you are? You are… a suicidal moron. We're not getting through to you. You're gonna keep drinking and your weak, sick liver is going to quit on you. But, what do you have to worry about? You'll be dead. **You** won't be there to see what your death does to the people who are stupid enough to love you..." Eddie said with quiet anger – the depth of his emotion bubbling under the surface.

Jillian didn't say a word, but the tears in her eyes told the story. Ryan's death was exactly what she feared the most. She stood up, crossed the room and walked out the front door. Eddie could see her from where he stood and he watched as she got into his truck, and leaned back as if to take a nap – but he knew that she really just needed to escape.

Eddie couldn't worry about collateral damage now. He'd deal with that later. Right now, he needed to get through to Ryan.

"Eddie, don't be an ass…" Ryan muttered, gesturing in the direction Jillian had gone, as Eddie's eyes grew wide.

"I'm being an ass? That's rich, bro." Eddie said through a tense jaw, "You know what I'm thinking? Since you're gonna be leaving this earth pretty soon I'd better get working on your eulogy. Hell, I'll even give you a preview."

Eddie purposefully walked over and sat down on the coffee table -- directly in front of Ryan.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Hannah walked up to the door and paused before knocking. This mission that she had dreaded for over 12 years was every bit as tough as she had imagined it would be and she'd only met with Big Cat so far. She thought back that conversation and how hard it had been. She knew this conversation would be every bit as difficult – just in a different way.

Just as Hannah was preparing herself to knock, the door at 34 Gelson flew open and she was warmly welcomed with a friendly smile from Physical Phil Farmer.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Eddie took a deep breath and began Ryan's 'eulogy,' "Ryan Latekka was my big brother. Growing up in the Ridge, I was in complete awe of him. Complete awe. He was THAT guy. That guy who did… everything right. Smart. Athletic. Goal oriented. If he set his mind to do anything, he did it. And, no one ever doubted him. No one..."

"Shut up, Eddie, I don't need this bull shit from you…" Ryan began, but the look Eddie gave him stopped him in his tracks. Eddie paused, carefully thinking about what he wanted to say next.

"Truth told – and this would shock no one… I wanted to be just like him. It drove me for years. I wanted to be a jock, just like Ryan… I wanted to be **as** good a brother as him. I wanted my parents to be **as** proud of me. And, as I got older, I sure as hell wanted to be as… successful … with the ladies as Ryan ever was…" Eddie paused, took a swig from him water bottle, and wiped the excess water from his mouth with his arm.

"Eddie, you don't have to do this…" James tried to interject, but Eddie ignored him.

Ryan's eyes were focused on the ceiling and his arms folded across his chest. It was clear that Ryan was being belligerent and it was hard to tell if he was actually listening to Eddie's 'eulogy'.

"It took a while, but eventually I figured out that I'd never measure up to Ryan. Not in school. Not in sports. Not with my parents. So, I gave up trying. And… it hit me hard. It stuck with me… for a long time. I was … in my mind anyway… the black sheep of the family. So when they all moved to Boston… it only felt right that I stayed behind in Knight's Ridge."

Eddie didn't dare look at his Mother, because he knew that she'd see the truth in his eyes.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Hannah, what goes on? Come in, come in. You know, Eddie's in Boston, if you're looking for him" Phil said, his angelic face beaming at his very welcome surprise guest.

"Actually, Phil, I'm here to see you. Do you have a minute to talk?" Hannah asked, hoping that the nervous energy she felt wasn't too obvious in her voice.

"Absolutely," Phil assured Hannah as he showed her to the kitchen, "I was just making myself some lunch, are ya hungry? You might remember my famous 'three cheese grilled cheese' sandwich – with the perfect accompaniment… a hot cup of tomato soup?"

Hannah smiled, as she made herself comfortable at the table, recalling a memory from years ago when Phil was tutoring her in two of her summer prep classes, Calculus and Philosophy, and he'd treated her to one of those famous grilled cheese sandwiches. Her mouth watered in spite of her nervous stomach, but she remembered her mission, "Sorry, Phys, as good as that sounds… not this time. But don't let me stop you from getting your lunch ready, I can wait. Besides, when you hear what I have to say, you may not be quite so... anxious to be nice to me."

It was only then that Phil took the time to register Hannah's nervous behavior, the way she kept pushing her hair behind her ear, the edge that her voice held, her stiff posture. He went to the stove and turned off the burners and then sat down across from Hannah.

"Are you okay, Hannah? If the Sam man okay?" Phil asked with concern filling his gentle voice.

"Yeah, of course, Phil. I'm fine. Sam too. Well, we're mostly fine." Hannah hedged, before continuing, "Oh God. I really don't know how to say this any other way, so I'm just going to put it out there and let the chips fall where they may. Please forgive me for this but… Phil... there is a chance, a small chance, that you could be … Sam's father." Hannah said, pursing her lips and squinting her eyes a bit preparing for the blow back.

Phil sat back with a confused look on his face, and he stayed frozen like that for several seconds.

The blood rushed to Hannah's face and pounded in her ears as she waited for a reaction, any reaction, from Phil.

"Say something, Phil. Please." Hannah begged.

"I… could … be …. Sam Daniel's father?" Phil began evenly, and Hannah was shocked to see a smile begin to form at the corners of his mouth.

"_Could be_, Phil. It's possible." Hannah reiterated softly. His reaction wasn't at all what she expected.

"But, we only… it was just that… one time. He could be mine? Sam Daniels could be my son?" That is… amazing… Truly amazing…" Phil stammered.

"You're not angry?" an unsteady Hannah inquired.

"Angry? How could I be angry? That kid is one... of a kind. He's the best." Phil said with awe in his voice.

"He is… the best." Hannah couldn't help but agree, "But, Phil, I didn't tell you…"

"It's okay, Hannah, you must have had your reasons. It's not my place to judge," Phil said with warmth and understanding so far beyond anything Hannah deemed possible. He covered Hannah's cold, nervous hand with his own.

Hannah stared with wonder at the wonder that Phil Farmer was – and for the first time saw the potential of likeness between him and her Rock Star.

"So, what happens now? How do we find out if I'm a father?" Phil asked with excitement in his voice, turning his attention to the particulars, letting her off the hook, and not asking any questions that Hannah may have had trouble answering.

As relief filled her body and her mind, Hannah took a deep breath, and held up a DNA test kit.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Eddie, we never should have let you stay in Knights Ridge." Marie said softly, but with a strong undercurrent of sadness in her voice.

Eddie stood up and walked over to stand behind his Mother and squeezed her shoulder before continuing, "It's okay Mom. I mean it. For some crazy reason that's just about when things started to turn around for me. One lucky play in one important football game and I became a legend in my own right. People in the Ridge forgot all about Ryan Latekka. The ladies certainly did. And that was enough for a while. At least I thought it was enough. I ended up doing okay just being me. Even when some … stupid misunderstanding… blew up my College football career chances, I still did okay being Eddie Latekka. I became responsible, and accountable, to my second family -- my friends. And then I got really lucky and fell for Janet … I was finally… happy."

Eddie stopped and took another sip of water. He didn't know how Ryan's eulogy had turned out to be so much about him, but at the same time, he knew the message he wanted to send to his brother. And, if he was honest with himself, what he wanted his parents to know as well. Eddie's mind drifted to Janet, and he thought about how much he wished that she were there with him, helping him through this crazy situation.

"But, here' the thing. All that time that I was figuring out how to be Eddie, my brother was forgetting how to be Ryan. He forgot that he was smart and athletic. He forgot how to be a good brother and a good son. He forgot how to be responsible. He forgot what it was like to be strong enough to live without alcohol. He threw away everything that was good in him… everything that I had ever admired. He became a self absorbed, lazy, good for nothing… and no one… alcoholic."

Eddie went walked back over to the coffee table, sat back down, and finished the 'eulogy' quietly as tears formed in his eyes, knowing that this was his last chance to save Ryan, and if this didn't work, he really might end up giving a eulogy for his brother.

"But it spite of that, in spite of what he put us through, and in spite of everything that he threw away, I will always love my big brother. I'll always wonder what he could have done with his life. What he could have done with all that potential. And now that he's gone… I'm know one thing for certain. I am going to miss him like hell."

The room was sober. No one spoke, but the weight of Eddie's words hung in the room like a thick fog.

Eddie, having finished his speech, watched Ryan's reaction carefully. With no obvious reaction to be seen, Eddie stood up and walked towards the door. Just as he placed his hand on the door knob he heard it.

Ryan was … weeping.


	29. Chapter 29

Eddie turned around slowly. He just watched as his mother, Marie, made her way over to Ryan and took a seat beside him on the couch. Marie grabbed her son and held him close, letting him weep. After a letting him cry for a few moments, she spoke.

"Ryan, you're going to be okay. Please, just admit that you have a problem, I'm begging you. Help us help you." Marie begged with tired determination as Ryan pulled away – and began to pull himself back together.

James kept a careful distance, as he always seemed to do, but his words were heart-felt, "Your Mother's right, Son. Admitting that I needed help was the best thing I ever did for myself… and for this family. We will get you whatever help you need – I promise. You just have to want it… as badly as we want it for you."

"I do know… that I need help. I get that now," Ryan admitted quietly to his hopeful parents.

Eddie kept his distance, and kept his hopefulness in check.

"Do you mind if I talk to Eddie alone?" Ryan whispered giving his parents a hopeful half grin.

Marie and James looked over at Eddie, who nodded, then back to Ryan, before slowly making their way towards the door.

"We won't be far," James said, somewhat concerned, as he closed the door behind himself.

X0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x

Janet poured a drink for Big Cat -- bourbon straight up. She would have refused to wait on her new found brother if she wasn't one, of two, bartenders on duty that day -- with the other bartender being on a break.

Ray was clearly intent on drowning his sorrows, and although some part of her heart was feeling for him – Janet had kept her distance and only approached him when his glass needed refilling.

Janet started to walk away when she heard Ray speak to her, in almost a whisper, "You know what goes on with Sam Daniels. Don't you?"

Janet, not facing Ray, rolled her eyes and took a breath, before turning around. At that moment Ray was not her brother, not her best friend's ex, he was her customer and she had to keep that in mind.

She lied, but kept things as pleasant as she could as she responded, "No, Ray, I don't know what goes on with Sam."

Ray looked over at Janet and, with an eyebrow raised and a sorrowful smile on his face asked her, "The real question is … would you tell me if you did?"

Janet watched him carefully, trying to stop that small bit of pity, that small sisterly urge, from nearing the surface, "No. I guess I probably wouldn't. Hannah's my best friend. Sam's the closest thing to a nephew I have. My loyalty is with them."

"Actually, Janet, you have two nephews," Ray corrected holding two fingers up unsteadily.

Janet shook her head slightly, realizing that he was right. And, if he turned out to be Sam's father, that would make Sam nephew number three.

"And I am… your brother. That's got to count for something when it comes to loyalty," Ray stated with defeat in his voice, as he took a gulp of his drink.

Janet tried to make sense of the conflict she was feeling. This guy sitting in front of her, drowning his sorrows, was not only her brother, he was the uncle to this child she'd just found out she was carrying. Family, suddenly, had a new meaning, and her hatred for Big Cat was ebbing… slowly. Her trust, or lack-there-of, however, remained status quo.

After thinking about it for a second, Janet responded, "I suppose that's true, Ray …but the thing is… you have to earn my loyalty. I don't give it away for free."

Janet turned quickly and turned her attention to another customer.

What she didn't realize was that those words meant something more to Ray. In them, he saw hope, and in that moment he decided that his new number one goal in life was to find a way to earn his sister's loyalty.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Eddie sat on the opposite end of the couch from Ryan, not looking at him, giving him all the space he needed.

After a moment of silence, Ryan spoke, "That was one hell of a eulogy."

Eddie replied with muted humor, "If you weren't such a stubborn ass I wouldn't have had to go that far. You think that was easy? Cause, I'll tell ya something. That was no picnic."

Ryan just looked over at Eddie and nodded slightly with a half grin.

"So… you serious about getting help?" Eddie inquired carefully.

After a slight pause Ryan responded, "I am. I know that I have a problem… I just… hate… hate… that I haven't been able to kick this on my own, you know. Damn it, I hate being so weak. This isn't me."

Eddie put his hand on Ryan's shoulder, but he didn't give cut him any slack; "Yeah, actually, It **is** you right now, pal. But it doesn't have to be."

Eddie pulled his hand back, and the brothers sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments.

"When you were 'eulogizing' me, I got to thinking… I know I have to go to rehab.... but is there a one near the Ridge?" Ryan asked, but there seemed to be a bigger question behind his words.

"**That's** what you were thinking about? Thanks for paying attention," Eddie said with fake hurt. But he went to work looking through the pile of brochures for rehabs his Mother had brought. He pulled one out and handed it to Ryan.

"There's one in Lenox -- only about 30 minutes from the Ridge," Eddie said, allowing relief to slowly begin creeping into his consciousness.

Ryan glanced over the brochure, not really seeing it, "And if it's okay…"

"If what's okay?" Eddie asked, trying to figure out where this was going.

"I'm thinking about spending a little time in the Ridge when I'm done with rehab. A new scene might do me some good. I gotta figure out who I am… and I just don't think I can do that here." Ryan admitted looking around his trashed condo.

Eddie just looked at Ryan, and tried to judge if he was being truthful or not.

"If that's what you want, I think we can work something out. You could stay with me and Janet… but I'll have to talk to her…" Eddie said, liking the idea more than he wanted to admit.

"I can't get used to that one. You, living with a girl… never thought I'd see the day," Ryan smiled and hit Eddie in the arm.

"Me either," Eddie replied, and then added, with a smile and a raise of his eyebrows, "But, then again, I had _no idea_ what I was missing."

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Hannah went to the meeting spot and waited. She dreaded this conversation like no other. The day had drained her, but she knew that she needed to keep it together until her mission was accomplished. She thought back to her meeting with Ray, and then her meeting with Phil, but was stopped from thinking ahead to her next meeting when she heard the sound of her cell phone ringing.

"You had best not be cancelling," Hannah said quietly under her breath as she pulled her cell from her pocket, but she smiled when she saw the caller ID.

"Did you have a psychic moment, Ms. Meadows? I really needed to hear from my best friend," Hannah smiled as she spoke.

"No psychic moment needed, Ms. Daniels. I needed to talk to my best friend too." Janet smiled too.

"I'm about to confront 'possible baby daddy #3'. You?" Hannah led off.

"I just finished talking to your 'possible baby' – hell, he's no baby anymore Hannah – 'possible pre-teenager daddy #1' and I've got … stuff on my mind too. I suppose now's not a good time to talk?" Janet inquired.

"No, just saw his car pull up. How 'bout Chinese food at my house around 7? Sam's down the Cape with my parents and I could REALLY use some girl talk. And wine. Don't forget the wine." Hannah said as her eyes followed the approach of her third DNA victim.

"That, my friend, sounds like a plan. See you in a bit." Janet agreed as the friends both shut their cell phones.

Hannah barely noticed the last words that Janet had spoken, as her attention was diverted by the happy, but curious, look -- on the very handsome face of -- Nick Garrett.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

After leaving Ryan, Marie and Jim sitting at the kitchen table in his parent's house discussing Ryan's his finances and and his various other responsibilities, Eddie made his way out to the back yard, where he found his sister sitting on the tire swing, rocking gently back and forth. They hadn't spoken that much since the break-through with Ryan, and he'd wanted to check on her to make sure she was okay.

"Hey, JJ, what goes on," Eddie said, as he propped himself up against the tall red maple tree that the tire swing belonged to.

"Not much. I was just thinking that … that I really let you guys down today, Eddie. Sorry I couldn't deal." Jillian sighed.

"What?" Eddie said, more loudly that he had intended, "Trust me, Jill, you didn't let anyone down. I'm the one who pulled that stunt without a warning. I know that the idea of Ryan dying scares the hell out of you. Sorry about that kid."

"Some Doctor I'm gonna be, huh? Can't even handle a little talk about death." Jillian seemed let down by her own perceived weakness.

"He's your brother, JJ, that kind of puts it into a category its own... As for being a doctor, with all that compassion you have... you, smart girl, are going to be... an outstanding Doctor. No question." Eddie said, half smile on his face.

Jillian smiled at Eddie as she mouthed the word 'thanks' and went back to swinging on the tire swing.

"So, you still heading out with me and Ryan tomorrow?" Eddie inquired.

"I am," Jillian confirmed, "First stop Lenox … and then on to Knight's Ridge."

"And Ikey?" Eddie asked, sounding a bit unnerved by the idea.

"Yep … And, I love you Eddie, but you should know that I'm planning on hanging out with him whether you like it or not. There … I said it. Whew... But, I'm really looking forward to hanging out with Janet too. I'd really like to get to know her better. She seems ... exceptional," Jillian grinned, loving the fact that Eddie seemed so happy, and then added thoughtfully, "You must be anxious to get back to her."

"More than you know…" Eddie smiled and walked towards the pond at the far end of his parent's spacious backyard and called Janet's number.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Hi Hannah," Nick said as he approached her cautiously.

"Hi Nick," Hannah replied, trying to keep her voice strong and steady.

"I have to say that, _this_…" Nick said with a smile, his arms out, motioning at his surroundings, "this is a surprising place to meet. Kind of unusual, even for you, Hannah Jane. Everything okay?"

"It's fine, Nick. I just wanted to talk with you. And I wanted to do it somewhere we both felt… safe. And I liked the idea of doing it here… with your Mom." Hannah said, motioning to the gravestone belonging to Nick's Mom, Caroline Garrett.

Nick didn't say anything, but it was clear that the wheels in his mind were turning.

"You know, I come here a lot. I've always come here a lot. I loved your Mom, Nick. She was … an amazing person." Hannah had already decided how to tell this story – she just hoped she had enough strength to tell it right.

"I didn't know that. I mean, I know that my Mom was the best. I'm just a little surprised that you come here. I've come here quite a bit myself since I've been back in the Ridge." Nick admitted.

"See, that doesn't surprise me at all. What surprises me… is that you were able to stay away from here for as long as you did." Hannah admitted, almost becoming diverted from her story.

"Hannah…," Nick said quietly, before asking, "Hannah, what goes on?"

"Nick, I've got a story to tell you, and I need you to promise me… really promise me, that you'll listen." Hannah began, trying to stave off the emotion threatening to take her over completely.

"Story... What _kind _of story, Hannah?" Nick asked.

"Just promise me you'll listen, Nick. Please." Hannah implored.

Nick just nodded, and moved to sit at the bench near his Mother's grave. Hannah stood directly in front of him, and talking with her hands as much as her words began her story.

"When you didn't come back, Nick, it broke me into tiny little pieces," Hannah began.

"I know that Hannah. We've…" Nick interrupted.

"Nick, come on, please … just listen." Hannah reiterated strongly.

"Okay… okay," Nick nodded , realizing his mistake.

"So, there I was, just an absolute walking disaster, and that summer I… as my Mother would say… acted out every chance I got. I went to every party, I drank, I smoked pot, and I … had sex with guys who weren't you – just because they weren't… _you_."

Nick looked like he wanted to be sick, but he kept his mouth shut.

"I was… a 'hot mess' that summer. Or at least that's what I've been told." Hannah added dryly.

Nick looked grim, and it was clear that he was struggling to stay quiet.

"Shortly after my 'acting out period' I realized that I hadn't HAD a period. It didn't take me long to figure out that I was… pregnant. I knew immediately that I was going to keep my baby. I loved Sam… from the minute I knew he was a part of me. What I didn't know was… who his father was. After what I had just done there were a few… candidates… three altogether."

Hannah turned around and walked closer to Caroline's grave. She paused for a second as she ran her hand over the cold granite and collected her thoughts. She whispered towards the stone, "Any help you want to give me here would be truly appreciated."

"Hannah, I know this story, you find out that Gavin Goddard is the father, and everyone lives happily ever after," Nick said with annoyance in his voice.

"That would be nice and easy, right Nick? Nothing about this was easy… And, I was just a messed up kid, with a broken heart, trying to figure it out as I went along."

Hannah sighed deeply.

"The truth is… Gavin Goddard is not Sam's father. There was never even a chance that Gavin Goddard was Sam's father. But, that was a story that worked for my family, so I went along with it like a good daughter. He went along with it… as a favor to my Father. And, in return, I got the support from my parents that I needed to make a life with my son." Hannah said with distaste evident in her tone.

Nick stood up and approached Hannah.

"So, Gavin Goddard isn't the father?" Nick asked, clearly confused.

"No, he's not Sam's father." Hannah shook her head from side to side.

"But there are three OTHER possibilities?" Nick investigated.

"Yes, Nick, _three_ other possibilities…" Hannah confirmed.

"And, of those three possibilities… would one of them be me?" Nick asked, crossing his arms over his chest, wanting to know, and not wanting to know, at the same time.

"Yes, Nick. One of them … would be you." Hannah confirmed, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

"Eddie," Janet said, answering the phone on the first ring. She was just finishing up her break when he called.

"Hey Beautiful, what goes on," Eddie couldn't help smile when he heard her voice.

"I've been worried. How are you? What goes on with Ryan?" Janet practically jumped through the phone; the feeling of concern, mixed with the loneliness of just plain missing Eddie, had her emotions wound pretty tight. Well, something else was messing with her emotions, but she couldn't go there right now.

"I'm okay. It was a long day, but I think we finally got through to him. Time will tell I suppose. I am... beat. Wish you were here to rub this tension out of my neck…" Eddie spoke to Janet in that soft, sexy, husky voice… in a way he spoke to no one else.

"Wish I was there too. I really, really do. I miss you Eddie. It's crazy how much..." Janet shyly admitted.

"Right back at you," Eddie smiled, "I'm not sure when I became so damned dependent, but I **really** missed having you there with me today."

Janet smiled at the thought and then cringed when she looked up and saw that she was already five minutes late getting back from her break.

"Eddie, I've got to get back to work, but if you aren't too tired, will you call me later?" Janet asked with a sense of urgency in her voice.

"You okay, Janet?" Eddie became slightly concerned, "Because I'll drive out to the Ridge right now if you need me."

"Don't tempt me, Eddie, 'cause I always need you," Janet sighed, "But , no, I'm fine. I just want to hear your voice before I go to sleep. I just don't like sleeping alone anymore."

"I know the feeling... I'll call you. And, Janet, I Love you." Eddie said with the widest smile he'd been able to accomplish all day.

"Love you back." Janet said, also grinning widely, as she closed her phone and went back to work.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Nick's head swirled around him as anger, confusion, joy and a hundred other emotions bubbled to the surface, "I could be Sam's father? Hannah???"

Tears began to stream down Hannah's face.

"The peanut allergy. My mother's eyes. You said it couldn't be. I asked you. I begged you to tell me." Nick stammered with confusion, and hurt, evident in his voice.

Nick's pain pierced right through the center of Hannah's heart.

"Nick…" Hannah started.

"Don't 'Nick' me, Hannah. I know that I screwed up when I didn't come back. When I 'disappeared into the ether'… I know that. But I've been back for more than a year. A year, Hannah! I could have been a father to Sam this whole time. If he's my son… I can never get that back." Nick's anger was pointed.

"I don't know what to tell you, Nick. You were gone for **ten years** before that. Ten years! I didn't know if I could TRUST you to be here. I didn't know if you would stay. And, I sure as hell didn't want you to stay out of any obligation to us. Don't you get that?" Hannah asked, her own anger at Nick coming to the surface.

"No, Hannah, I don't 'get' anything. Not anymore." Nick said more sharply even as he began to calm down. He took a turn running his hand over the cool surface of his Mother's gravestone.

Hannah and Nick stood there for a few seconds, on opposite sides of Caroline's gravestone, not talking, not looking at each … but it felt like so much longer.

"I think it's you, Nick. I've never known for sure, but for what it's worth, I always thought it was you," Hannah said quietly as she reached out to touch Nick's arm. Nick pulled away quickly.

"I've got to tell you Hannah -- it's not worth much, not much at all," Nick's anger was still apparent, "I just want to know for sure. I want to know if Sam's my child. I want to know if my father has a grandson. I'll love Sam no matter what, but I have to know."

"Okay, so, we'll find out." And for the third time that day Hannah pulled out a DNA kit. Nick reached for it immediately.

"Tell me how this works," Nick asked, anger still apparent in his voice, and as Hannah explained the process, Nick took out the swab and proceeded to provide his DNA sample.

In spite of Nick's lingering bad feelings, relief filled Hannah's body. She'd done what she set out to do, and after all those years, the people most integral to this story knew the truth… at least as much of the truth as they could for now.

All that was left to do was to send in the DNA tests and wait for the results.

Hannah left to go meet Janet, but Nick stayed behind… to talk to his Mom.


	30. Chapter 30

It was dusk in the Ridge and two best friends were eating dinner and comparing notes about the long day that they both had just experienced.

Hannah had a strict rule about food in the living room when Sam was there, but it was a rule that she loved to break when he wasn't around. So, she and Janet sat back on the couch, chinese food boxes strewn across the coffee table, as they attempted to recover from a take-out overdose.

"Today… everything about today… just felt… unreal. Maybe insane is a better word… I can't believe I did it, Janet. After all these years; one day, three men and three DNA test kits, and Sam's going to know who his father is..." Hannah said with a cross between relief and awe in her voice.

"You got those in the mail, right?" Janet asked, sipping from her water glass, proud of her friend's accomplishment.

Hannah just nodded as she picked up her glass and took a sip of wine.

Janet added, matter of factly, "I can't tell you how glad **I** am… that one of those three guys wasn't _**my**_ man."

Hannah laughed, and choked slightly, on the wine she'd just sipped. She was glad that Janet knew about that one stupid night that Hannah and Eddie had hooked up, all those years ago, but it wasn't something they ever discussed lightly. Actually, they never discussed it at all…

"I'll drink to that," Hannah suggested, as she clinked her glass against Janet's and then drained the last sip of wine from her glass. Janet took a sip from the water glass she still held in her hand. Hannah looked at her own now empty wine glass, and then she looked over to Janet's full wine glass, sitting on a coaster on the coffee table, with condensation collecting all along the outside of the glass.

"What goes on, Janet Meadows? You haven't touched your wine. Seriously, what goes on with that?" Hannah asked with reproach in her voice.

"I'm just not in the mood to drink?" Janet half stated, half asked, squinting a bit.

"You? You're just 'not in the mood to drink?" Hannah repeated with doubt in her voice, curiosity building, before adding, "I don't think so, my friend. You **love** wine."

"It just didn't taste right to me is all," Janet tried again, trying to be casual, and failing miserably.

"Well, I guess I'd buy that explanation if you had even taken a sip. By the way, it's _really_ good wine…" Hannah's voice trailed off as she took a closer look at the face of her best friend. Something clicked in her brain and her eyes widened, "Oh. My. God. Are you pregnant?"

Janet said nothing, she just suddenly appeared guilty. Her cheeks blushed and, even as she tried to hold it back, a smile broke out on her face.

"You're pregnant! Yes! I can't believe you've been holding out on me! You WERE going to tell me, right? What did Eddie say? Janet!" Hannah prodded with uncontrolled excitement.

A smiling Janet just leaned forward and pushed the coaster holding her still full wine glass towards Hannah, "No need to waste good wine, somehow I think you're going to need this…"

Hannah grabbed the up glass the glass quickly -- before leaning towards Janet with a wide smile on her face and a twinkly glean in her eye, "Tell me… everything…"

xoxoxoxoxoxox

As Janet was driving home after a fun evening 'gabbing' with Hannah she started to feel a little guilty. She truly hadn't wanted to tell anyone, even Hannah, about her pregnancy before telling Eddie. But, if she was honest, she'd known she was going to break that commitment the moment they'd agreed to dinner. After all, Janet knew she would never be able to sneak 'not drinking' past her observant best friend... who also happened to be her long time drinking buddy.

On the plus side, it really did feel good to confide in someone. The joy she heard in Hannah's voice, and the excitement she saw on her face, did Janet's heart good.

She'd tell Eddie tomorrow when she saw him, because it was something that she knew she absolutely wanted to do in person. She just hoped that he would be even half as excited as she was about the news.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

As Janet got closer to her house she realized things weren't as she expected them to be. Sitting in the driveway was that familiar gray Ford F150. She could also see the warmth of light streaming through the living room window.

Her heart raced when she saw the shadowy outline of one Eddie Latekka sitting on the porch swing… waiting for her. When he saw her, Eddie stood and jogged towards the driveway. For her part, Janet barely had the car parked, before she was out the door and rushing into Eddie's open, waiting arms. And there they stood, in the driveway, holding each other close, with their arms wrapped tightly around one another. Janet could feel the warmth of Eddie's breath against her forehead as he placed gentle kisses along her hairline.

"You're here. I can't believe you're here," Janet said with what could only be described as joy wrapped in relief, "You weren't going to leave until tomorrow. What happened?"

Eddie pulled back just far enough that he could look into her eyes.

"I missed you.. for starters. I mean, it was… two days, but it felt more like two months," Eddie smiled that heart stopping smile that melted Janet's heart every time, and then added more seriously, "But, thing is, after talking to you today, I got to thinking something wasn't quite right with you. Something seemed… off. It worried me… So, I asked my parents, and Jillian, to take care of bringing Ryan to rehab and I got right on the road."

"You left Boston tonight, completely exhausted, just for me?"Janet was truly touched by the gesture and, on some level, still somehow surprised by the depth of Eddie's devotion.

"I did." Eddie responded , reaching up to push Janet's hair off of her face.

She, in turn, reached up to touch the dark circles under Eddie's eyes with her finger tips as guilt overtook her, "But, look at you, babe. You're so tired. You should have stayed in Boston..."

"If you keep saying that, I'm going back…" Eddie offered teasingly, pointing towards the road, as he half-heartedly tried to pry himself away from Janet.

"I don't think so, Latekka… Now that you're here, you're not going anywhere…" Janet stated protectively, suddenly guilt free, as she pushed herself closer to Eddie and wrapped her arms tighter around his waist, effectively removing any distance he had made between them.

Smiling widely, the lovers began to walk, side by side, towards the house.

As they made their way through the front door, Janet noticed that Eddie had set a romantic scene. Her favorite candles were burning throughout the living room with their intoxicating scent filling the air. Janet quickly recognized the motivation behind it, "Eddie… this is … beautiful. I guess ... you really aren't as tired as you look."

"Not tired at all," Eddie said proudly, shaking his head slightly from side to side, as he ran his fingers seductively up and down the skin on Janet arms. The action quickly raised goosebumps and caught Janet's attention.

Janet looked up at Eddie, smiling, as she studied him. She could tell that he had recently showered. His hair was glistening a bit, still wet from the shower, and Janet could feel her knees go weak as she breathed in the familiar scent of the musky aftershave that she loved so much. Eddie had also shaved close, something he rarely did, and she couldn't help but reach up to tenderly stroke the smooth skin along his jaw line, "Well, you know what they say... actions speak louder than words."

That was as much of an invitation as Eddie would need. His lips found Janet's throat and began to trace a hungry, steady, path… up the curve of her neck… along her jaw line… and into the soft place just behind her ear –the place that he knew drove her particularly crazy, while his hands happily, but expertly, roamed the soft curves of her body. Janet, in turn, began to make quick work of unbuttoning Eddie's flannel shirt, discarding it on the floor, and then she turned her attention to freeing Eddie from the confines of his t-shirt. She tugged at the bottom of the shirt and suddenly her hands were moving up his chest, her fingers softly grazing its toned surface, before sending the t-shirt flying across the room. Eddie began to kiss Janet deeply as he coaxed her in the direction of their bedroom.

The sound of Eddie's ringing cell phone put a temporarily halt to the foreplay. Eddie groaned as he reluctantly untangled himself from Janet's arms and shot her an apologetic look. He grabbed his cell phone and looked down at the caller ID.

"Hey Mom, what goes on?" He asked, running his hands through his hair, and trying -- but failing -- to disguise the annoyance in his voice. He listened briefly before responding with a lighter attitude, "Is that all? Yes, I'm home... Wasn't a bad trip back at all... No... Janet? Janet's just fine... I swear it... Mom.... I know.... Yes, I am aware of... Mom.... You know what? I gotta tell you something, unless you want to hear things about my sex life that, trust me, you don't want to hear, I'm going to have to hang up right about... now. Love you, Mom."

"Eddie!" Janet chastised him with a weak slap, "I can't believe you just said that to your Mother..."

"I can't believe you're still _talking about_ my Mother. I'd suggest changing the subject right now ... or we're not getting back to what you started..." Eddie teased.

"What **I** started?" Janet rebuked, "Dude, you were the one who started something you couldn't finish before you left for Boston."

"Oh, reaallllly? I guess I did, huh? Well, I must have done something right if you're still thinking about it..." Eddie responded.

"Can't lie. I am still thinking about it..." Janet smirked and raised her eyebrows.

Eddie didn't say a word, he just raised his eyebrows and tilted his head in the direction of the bedroom.

Janet, seemingly unwilling to sacrifice another second of closeness, surprised Eddie by playfully shaking her head 'no.' She stood on her tip toes and began to pepper soft kisses all over Eddie's neck and face before initiating a slow, sultry, inviting kiss on his all too willing lips. Before Eddie knew what hit him, Janet was suggestively, and aggressively, pulling him down to the floor.

They made love on the living room floor, surrounded by the romantic glow of candle light.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Janet and Eddie ended up finding their way to their bedroom sometime in the middle of the night. Janet, unable to sleep, lay on her side, watching her boyfriend as he peacefully slept. Her mind churned around how she would go about telling him about this child she was carrying. Eventually, she decided to slip away to gather her thoughts, along with the small gifts she had wrapped for Eddie's birthday.

Once she felt she had everything together, she crawled back into bed, snuggled close to Eddie, and allowed herself to fall into a peaceful sleep of her own.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Janet woke up to the surprise of an empty bed. She briefly wondered if she had dreamt the whole homecoming. But she was comforted, and relieved, as her hand ran over the tell tale indentation that Eddie had made in his pillow.

She was even more relieved when she saw her man, clad only in boxers, walk back through the bedroom door with a breakfast tray in his hands.

"Morning," Eddie said, warmth filling his sexy voice, as he walked to Janet and placed the tray in front of her on the bed. They kissed softly before Eddie broke away and walked around to his side of the bed.

"Morning... Eddie… this is…" Janet began.

" 'Very sexy'… At least that's how I remember you describing breakfast in bed the day I took off for Boston." Eddie teased.

"Exactly… very… very… _very_… sexy…" Janet said as she leaned into Eddie and kissed him suggestively.

Eddie responded briefly before speaking, his lips still close to Janet's, "Sustenance first, sex later…"

He pulled back and winked at her.

Janet, smiling brightly, turned her attention to the contents of her breakfast in bed: Lucky Charms (for two), toast, cranberry juice, a cup of tea (for her) and a cup of coffee (for him).

"Perfect," she announced, more looking at her lover than the tray of food he had prepared, and then she and Eddie began to dig into the breakfast spread.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

After breakfast, Eddie carefully placed the breakfast tray on the floor, before he pulled Janet into his arms. Knowing what she was about to do, Janet suddenly became quiet and pensive. Eddie noticed Janet's mood change, felt the tension shift in her body.

"What goes on, Janet? You okay?" Eddie asked, propping himself up on his elbow so he was hovering slightly above her.

"I'm fine, Eddie. But… I've been thinking about something... and.... you're getting your birthday present a little early. I can't wait until Saturday…" Janet admitted, as she moved herself out from under Eddie, and sat up.

"Oh goody. I do love presents," Eddie said, sounding a bit like a little boy, as he propped himself up in bed.

Nerves overtook Janet and she became suddenly slightly nauseous. Fighting off the nerves, she pulled the two small boxes from her nightstand drawer.

"Guess it's safe to say there are no wolves hiding in those boxes." Eddie teased, trying to get a closer look at the boxes.

"I just hope you don't _think _there are any 'wolves' in there…" Janet said softly and sarcastically, almost under her breath, as she handed the first present to Eddie.

He either didn't hear her comment, or chose to ignore it, as he opened the first box quickly. Confusion consumed his face as he pulled out three crisp ten dollar bills.

"Okay… thirty dollars. Because… I'm turning thirty?" Eddie asked, confused and intrigued at the same time, as he tried to make sense of the gift.

"That'll make sense in a minute." Janet explained, unable to shake the serious tone in her voice, even as a smile spread across her lips. She reached for the second present and handed it to Eddie.

He opened this one more slowly, but the contents didn't confuse him at all. He pulled out the empty pregnancy test box…

Eddie looked at Janet, as if for confirmation. Janet smiled nervously as she shook her head yes. Eddie turned his attention back to the first box. She was right, it did make sense now.

"The bet... the bet between my Mother and Grandmother… I'm not thirty...yet... and you're ... pregnant?" Eddie half asked, half said, not looking at Janet. His expression was blank and his voice gave no indication of anything other than shock.

Neither Eddie nor Janet spoke for a moment.

Janet panicked a bit and began to ramble, "I am pregnant, Eddie. We're pregnant. I've only known for a few days... And, I know that this is a big deal, nothing we planned. And, Eddie, trust me when I say I know that it's certainly a surprise. I mean, we've always been careful. But, it is what it is, and I'm happy. I really am... I just hope that you..."

Janet was cut off by Eddie, and taken off guard by the surprising question she heard next.

"Marry me?" Eddie asked, turning his face to hers, and making eye contact. But his expression was still one of shock, with no trace of happiness or joy to be found.

"What?" Janet asked as she took in Eddie's full reaction. The words had initially excited her -- 'marry me' – but something in his expression, the lack of joy, and lack of meaning, tore any happiness and excitement about that question away. Eddie didn't respond.

Truthfully, she had prepared herself for several different ways this could have gone. But, this simply wasn't one of them. Janet continued to search Eddie's face for some glimmer of happiness, some sign of joy, some reason for him to really ask that question, and when she found none, her hormones took over. She didn't expect him to be overjoyed (although she had hoped for that) but she did expect some warmth, some interest, and as a long shot, some joy.

Her hurt and anger she felt took her by surprise -- as did her response, "You know what, Latekka? This is a baby. It's not a...a...it's not a wolf. And, no, I'm not going to marry you. Not like this…"

She scrambled out of bed, tears of anger filled her eyes as she grabbed her robe and left Eddie sitting there on the bed … trying to figure out what exactly just happened.


	31. Chapter 31

Eddie went to work pruning the line of bushes that formed a barrier between Janet's… no, their yard… and the neighbors whose yard stood at the back end of the property line. He'd been meaning to do this chore for a while, but it was a big job, and he needed motivation. Working out his frustration with a pair of pruning shears, over what went down between him and Janet that morning, seemed as good a motivation as any.

Since he'd thrown on his old jeans and an old beat up sweatshirt and stormed out of the house, he'd been one busy guy. He had weeded the flower garden that he'd be putting fall flowers in this weekend, mowed the lawn and put down the first fall lawn treatment in preparation for the winter. The yard was looking as if belonged to a landscaper, even if it was a part time landscaper, and Eddie began to relax in his element – the outdoors.

He lost himself a bit in yard work, but he was frankly still a bit stunned, and even a little bit angry, over Janet's reaction to his question. It wasn't as if he had ever asked anyone to marry him before. Besides, there was that other little detail that Janet was having a baby. His baby. That was a shock to say the least. Not that it should be – they were, after all, in a happily committed relationship, and they certainly had more than their fair share of sex, but it still was a crazy surprise.

But she must have realized that he'd spent the better part of his adult life trying to make sure he didn't become a father, he thought, shouldn't she know him enough by now to realize that shifting gears on a topic like that one would be a big deal?

Yes, he decided, he was angry and he had every right to be. And when he was satisfied with the condition of that row of bushes, he decided it was time to get back into this conversation and let her know his side of the story. When he had finished cleaning up his lawn equipment, Eddie headed back into the house to confront Janet.

Xoxoxoxoxox

When Eddie walked through the back door, he could see that he wasn't the only one who'd been busy working over the past few hours. He could smell Janet's favorite cleaning product in the air, and he could see that everything in the kitchen had been scrubbed thoroughly, floor to ceiling. He knew Janet's routine pretty well, the one she usually did Saturday morning, which meant that she'd already stripped the bed, done a load or two of wash, cleaned the bathroom and vacuumed. Floor scrubbing came late in the game, so he was sure that, at this point, the house had passed Janet's rigorous inspection.

She must be done by now which made him wonder about what she was up to now.

He pushed through the kitchen door and that's when he spied her, laying asleep on the couch looking like an absolute angel. He could hear the low murmur of the TV. Moving closer, he momentarily watched Janet as she slept and he quickly noticed that her eyes were puffy from crying. The concept of Janet in pain tore at his heart. The anger that he had been feeling disappeared in an instant as the sharp pang of guilt moved in and took its place. He wanted to wake her up, to talk with her, but knowing that she'd had a rough night, he decided not to interrupt her peaceful sleep.

Having just worked his tail off outside, Eddie went to the bedroom, gathered some fresh clothes and headed towards the bathroom to take a quick shower. When he finished, Janet was still napping, so he went to the desk and wrote Janet a quick note. Just as he was about to leave the note on the coffee table in front of her, his attention was drawn to the television. Janet had been watching an old black and white movie that even had Eddie recognized fairly quickly, "It's a Wonderful Life." He remembered back to Christmas time last year when Janet made him sit and watch this movie with her. He also recalled that the only other time that he'd seen the movie was when he was a kid and his mother, like Janet, had forced it upon him. He had never admitted to either of them that, in truth, he actually didn't think the movie was half bad.

Eddie crouched down in front of the TV, about to turn it off; when he realized that the movie was 'looping' back over the same scene – as she must have set the DVD to do: The setting is a quiet, dark bedroom and the wife is asleep as the husband walks in. The wife wakes up and tells the husband that she wants her baby to look like him, and he realizes that she is pregnant.... that 'George Bailey lassoes stork'. After watching the scene loop through again Eddie finally understood. The husband's reaction – shock, yes, but excitement too. That's what Janet was looking for from him.

Eddie shut off the TV, placed the note on the coffee table, and looked back with conflict still in his eyes at a still sleeping Janet, as he grabbed his keys and left the house.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Janet woke to sound of the closing door. How long had she been napping she wondered as she tried to shake off the sleep. She noticed immediately that the TV was turned off – even though she could see from the lights on the DVD player that it was still on. Then she noticed the note. Short, simple and to the point: "Janet, be back in a bit, Love, Eddie."

"Will you?" Janet said quietly under her breath as a tear escaped from her left eye. She grabbed the clicker and turned the TV on. She re-watched the looping scene – one more time – and then decided to watch the rest of the movie.

Xoxoxoxoxoxox

"Hey Connor, Caitlin, what goes on?" Eddie warmly greeted Owen's kids.

"Hi Uncle Eddie," Connor said, with Kaitlin standing beside him as shy as usual. Eddie smiled at both of them.

"Is he here?" Eddie asked in the uninterested tone he usually used with Allison, who Eddie had never quite warmed up to. She still wasn't one of his favorite people.

"Yep. They're in there." Allison said, with a slightly chilly tone, as she pointed to the dining room.

"They?" Eddie asked, noting that both kids were but Allison was already walking out the door with the two kids, obviously heading to a soccer practice for Connor.

Eddie walked into the dining room at the Owen's house and was surprised that Nicky had beaten him there. Owen was sitting at the head of the dining room table, Nick to his left and they were both sipping coffee. They seemed engrossed in a conversation and Nick seemed… what? Upset? Angry?

"What goes on boys?" Eddie asked and then added, pointing his thumb back towards the door, "If you're in the middle of something, I can go…"

Owen looked at Nick for the answer – so Eddie was right, something was going on with Nicky.

"No, Eddie, stay. I'd like to get your opinion too. Did Janet tell you what goes on with Hannah and me? I'm guessing she knows." Nick said with an edge, and Eddie recoiled a bit at the tone in which Nick used Janet's name.

"I have _no idea _what you're talking about Nicky," Eddie said as he took a seat beside Owen, across from Nick.

Nick looked at Owen, and Owen began to tell the story, "Nick might be Sam's dad after all, Eddie. He just found out yesterday."

Eddie just sat back stunned. Not at the idea that Nick might be Sam's dad, because he'd had that feeling the whole time, but he was stunned at the fact that Hannah had finally told him.

"Might be?" Eddie asked, confused, looking at both Nick and Owen.

"Two other possibilities," Nick said, gritting his teeth, and then looked to Eddie, and painfully asked, "Please tell me you're not one of them."

Eddie leaned back in his chair. He knew he wasn't one of them. Hannah had already been pregnant, about 6 weeks along, when they'd had their tryst. He responded honestly, "No man, I'm not one of them."

Owen smiled widely. Nick leaned back in his chair and exhaled loudly, "Whew. I knew, no matter how mad at me you were, man, that you wouldn't betray our friendship, Eddie."

Eddie suddenly felt a knot in his stomach. If Hannah had let him spill this a year ago, before he and Janet were a couple, while he still held his grudge against Nick, this would be out in the open and Eddie wouldn't be adding salt to an already gaping wound. Eddie looked like he was going to be ill.

"I wouldn't say that, Nick. I wanted to tell you something last year when you came back – after we got back from NYC. I begged Hannah to tell you, or let me tell you, what went on that summer."

Owen and Nick both looked to Eddie, he could tell they were both already dreading whatever it was that he was about to say.

"I hate to admit this to you, pal, to either of you… Hell, Nicky... I slept with Hannah that summer. _Late_ in the summer, just about the point when I finally admitted to myself that you really weren't coming back. She was having a bad day, I was having a bad day, we ran into each other and … It was just that one time… we both regretted it immediately, I swear it. And after… that's when she told me the reason she was upset -- she was having a fight with her mother over the pregnancy."

Eddie stopped for a second and then continued, "I told her she needed to get in touch with you – and she told me there was no need… you weren't the dad. She said that she knew for certain that the guy… Goddard… was the father. She's stuck to that story ever since."

Owen looked surprised, but awed, by the whole thing. Nick looked… pissed.

"Are you serious, Eddie? You slept with my girl?" Nick replied, roughly pushing the chair back and standing up from the table.

"Nick, I'm not making excuses here, but 'your girl?' She wasn't your girl. Not anymore. You'd given up that right when you didn't come back. Besides, it's not like I hopped in the sack with her the second you left on your little adventure. It was six weeks later…" Eddie tried to explain.

"Oh, and that makes it all right? You were my best friend! Damn it." Nick hissed at Eddie as he quickly made his way out the front door.

He and Owen heard Nick's car start and then the squeal of his tires as he sped down the street.

Owen spoke first, "You think he's going to be okay?"

"I really hope so," Eddie said before asking, "Do you want me to leave, O?"

"Why would I want you do that, buddy?" Owen asked, and then added, "Know what? It's a little early, but since Allison's out for a while, why don't I get us a couple of Paul Revere beers and let's go talk on the back deck."

Eddie just smiled and followed Owen to the kitchen and, after Owen pulled the beer from the fridge, they headed out to sit on the deck.

Eddie was really relieved that Owen didn't seem upset with him for what he had just admitted, what had he never told his good friend in the twelve years that had gone by since, not during any of their male bonding fishing expeditions and not on any of their drinking escapades. Eddie had kept this secret close to the vest. The only person he had told was Janet, because he absolutely needed her to know what had gone down between him and Hannah before he allowed himself to really get close to her.

"Holy Moly, Eddie, that was some bomb you just dropped," Owen said as he sat down.

"Why aren't you creased?" Eddie said, taking a swig of beer, and looking to his old friend, "I slept with Nick's girl. That's gotta make me sound like a hypocrite when it comes to what Ikey did, what Janet did, and how I reacted."

"I wouldn't put it that way. It does make me wonder why you didn't have a little more compassion for them – not that I had any for Ikey. But, the way I figure, you were right. Nick had relinquished any claim on Hannah when he abandoned her. Besides, Hannah was **hot**… still is… can't say as I blame you. I would have slept with her if I thought I stood a chance."

"No, you wouldn't, O, you're way too loyal," Eddie laughed lightly, and he knew it was the truth.

"I suppose that's true. But, no one's more loyal that you, Big Ed. Way I figure it, you must have been hurting pretty badly to do what you did. You were a mess that summer Eddie. Nicky left you. Rory left you. Your family had left you two years earlier. You deserve a pass for this one – and Nick is going to figure that out soon." Owen reached over and tapped his beer bottle against Eddie's.

"Hope so, Big O. I really hope so." Eddie just looked out over O's back lawn, one that he had designed and maintained for years.

"I wonder…" Owen started.

"What?"

"If you're not one of the other two possibilities, and I'm not one of them…. who is?" Owen asked.

"Don't think I wanna know... I just hope it turns out to be Nicky. I've always thought Sam was his kid…" Eddie admitted.

"Me too, buddy, me too. So, what goes on with you Eddie? What brought you here today? Ryan doing okay?" Owen asked, sensing that more was going on with Eddie.

"Yeah, yeah….Ryan's going into rehab today, so I think that's going to be okay… but … just between you and me, Janet would kill me if I told anyone else…." Eddie began.

"You two kids doing alright? Don't mess this up, Eddie. You two are good together," Owen chastised.

"Janet told me something today... and I didn't react… the way she wanted me too… and now? I don't know how to fix it." Eddie tried to explain.

"She isn't pregnant, is she?" Owen inquired off -handedly.

"How'd you know?" Eddie asked, confusion on his face.

"She is? She's pregnant? Sweet!" Owen smiled, "This is great news, Ed, and you're going to be a great dad! I'm happy for you, man."

Eddie didn't say a word; he just looked down, feeling guilty that his friend's reaction was so much better than his own.

"What'd you do, Eddie? What was your reaction?" Owen asked with concern.

Eddie recounted how it all happened...

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"And I just left her… alone... napping on the couch," Eddie admitted after telling Owen the story.

Owen just sat back, mouth agape, piecing it all together, "So… what's the deal? Do you want to have a kid with Janet or not?"

"Well, yeah, at some point. Janet's the only girl I've ever thought about marrying, having kids with, just hadn't planned on it being... now." Eddie admitted, only briefly glancing over at Owen. Owen thought it through for a second.

Owen shook his head and tried to think of a way to help.

"Okay... So how about this? What if I told you that I could snap my fingers and this would all be a dream. That you'd find out that she wasn't ever pregnant after all?"

Eddie was surprised by the drop he felt in his heart and the ringing disappointment he felt. He knew that is was reverse psychology that Owen was using on him -- but it was working.

"O..." Eddie began... as he began to get a hold of his feelings... and then it occurred to him... Owen Rowan was a genius.

Eddie sprang to his feet and deposited what was left of his beer on the table.

"I was... an ass." Eddie admitted.

"You just might have been, Eddie." Owen affirmed.

"I gotta go fix this. I'll call ya later, O," Owen heard Eddie say even as he was jogging around the side of the house, out towards the driveway.

He heard the roar of Eddie's truck engine and the squeal of his tires as he sped down the street.

Owen just leaned back and let out a belly laugh, "Go get her, Latekka."

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Eddie made a couple of stops on the way home, and when he got there he was glad to see that Janet's jeep was still parked in the driveway. He walked through the living room, but could hear the sound of music coming from the bedroom. Janet had her iPod in the player by the bed, and was singing along to the music as she finished making the bed. She was singing along to the Beatles, "All you need is love" and he wished other people could hear how good Janet sounded when she sang. He didn't hear it often enough himself.

After watching her for a few minutes, he decided to help her put the pillows back on the bed. Janet was startled when he walked in the room.

"Hey," Eddie said as he began picking up pillows and, being well trained at this point, putting them exactly where they belonged on the bed.

"Hey," Janet replied, as she moved each pillow by a fraction of an inch to get them exactly where she wanted them to be.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Eddie asked hopefully.

"Sure, just let me finish up here. I'll just be a second," she replied with a slight smile, and Eddie was relieved that she seemed less angry than she had been last night.

When Janet came out to the living room Eddie was sitting on the couch, intently looking at whatever was in front of him on the coffee table.

"What goes on, Eddie?" Janet asked as she sat down next to him on the couch. It was then that she saw what he had done. Eddie had brought back paint swatches in 'baby colors' and home décor magazines. He also reached under the coffee table and brought out something just for her, her favorite pink roses.

Janet took the flowers and inhaled their beautiful scent. She mouthed, 'Thank you,' to him as she placed the flowers on the table.

"I'm sorry, Janet," Eddie began, "I love you. I was just … surprised. I know it's no excuse, but…"

"No, Eddie, don't say that. I didn't even give you a second to adapt. You had every right to react the way you did. I get that now." Janet leaned in towards Eddie, and he immediately threw his arm around her shoulders as she sank into the side of his body.

"I gotta tell you, Janet, I'm really getting used to the idea of us having this baby," Eddie said with happiness in his voice. Janet's heart filled up with joy.

"Really?" Janet asked as she picked up a few of the paint swatches, "But, it's a little too early to start talking nursery, don't you think?"

"Maybe. But what about wedding?" Eddie asked, pulling himself away from Janet, and slipping to the floor on one knee, "I know I don't have a ring, or a hell of a lot else to offer you. But I love you and I want to marry you Janet. Will you be my wife?"

Janet looked to Eddie, happy that he seemed … happy. She reached towards him and grabbed his hands, pulling him back to her on the couch.

"Why are you asking me to marry you, Eddie?" Janet asked, no hurt in her eyes, she was just seeking the truth.

After giving it a second, Eddie looked up and then he locked eyes with the woman he loved more than he loved himself.

"Janet, you are… the only girl I've ever even _thought about_ marrying. I've known, for a while now, that I was going to ask you at some point. But right now? I can't for the life of me figure out what I was waiting for. Besides, with you it's always been… different. I've always wanted to be … better with you. I always wanted you to feel like you were more important to me than any of the girls I'd been with before. That's a big part of why it took me so damned long to have sex with you that first time."

Janet didn't say a word, but her eyes filled up a bit. Eddie took a deep breath and went on, "I guess, in a way, what we have is, kind of, old fashioned. I want to do everything right by you. Everything. And, I can't imagine you having my baby – but not my last name. And, I do want have babies with you. I want to get old with you. So, what do you say? Are you going to marry me or not?"

Eddie sat back, his hands still on Janet's, waiting for the answer. He'd left himself wide open in a way he had never done with anyone before.

"I'm not saying no, Eddie," Janet began.

"Janet..." Eddie's heart dropped a bit.

"Eddie, I want you to do something for me."

"What?" Eddie asked, wondering where she was going with this.

"Ask me again."

"Excuse me…" Eddie stumbled across his words.

"Wait a month, get used to the idea of this baby, and then ask me again. I want to marry you, Eddie. But I don't want you to make a rash decision because you knocked me up."

"I didn't 'knock you up' Janet." Eddie corrected, "You're not some one night stand. You're the woman I love."

"Point taken. Just do this for me? Wait a month… And if you still feel the same way, I'll marry you on the spot."

"You mean that? In one month... if I ask you again... you'll marry me... on the spot?" Eddie asked, feeling suddenly happy with the way this was going.

"It's just an expression Eddie. But, yeah, of course I mean it…" Janet committed.

"Okay... I'm gonna hold you to it, Ms. Meadows..." Eddie said as he leaned in and began to kiss Janet. Just as things were getting interesting – the door bell rang.


	32. Chapter 32

What does one say after leaving a story unfinished for as long as this one has remained unfinished? I've been trying to get over my sadness about losing this show and get back to this story but, for a non-writer, I had a serious case of writers block.

But, then I started to read a few stories in another series on here and found myself let down when a story I enjoyed was left unfinished. It made me sad that I hadn't given closure to Eddie, Janet, Nick, Hannah, Physical Phil and the rest of our friends in the Ridge. I know there are a few people who still wanted to know how this one ended up - I wanted to know how it ended up - so here is the second to last chapter. I'm hoping to post the final chapter within the next week.

I'm not promising much, but I do want to finish this story for those who enjoyed it and wish they'd gotten their happily ever afters.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Ding Dong

"What the heck?" Eddie growled, as he gently pressed his lips to Janet's collar bone and growled, "Not gonna happen…"and then raising his head added in a loud, gruff voice, "We're not home!"

Janet giggled as Eddie ignored the knocks on the door and went back to tracing a path of kisses down her neck. Within seconds, the door bell rang several times with deliberation, and then they heard his cell phone begin to ring in the other room.

"Eddie," Janet smiled at Eddie's agitation and pushed against his chest reluctantly, "Doesn't seem like whoever's at the door has any intention of taking a hint, so please …just go check it out, sent them away, and get your sweet ass back over here."

A grumbling Eddie kissed Janet softly on the lips and then pulled himself away. After getting up off the couch and making his way to the door, he swung the door open to find his parents and his sister Jillian standing on their door step. He may have glared at them but he couldn't hide the hint of humor in his eyes.

"You guys seriously have, the mother of all… bad timing," Eddie said, shaking his head, as he motioned for them to come in.

"Don't listen to him," Janet yelled towards the front door, as she quickly rose from the couch. She kept her back turned to the crowd for a moment as she reached down to quickly refasten the buttons on her shirt that, until that moment, she hadn't even noticed Eddie had so smoothly undone. The realization brought a blush to her cheeks.

She turned with a smile and walked over to offer welcoming hugs to her house-guests. Hugs and greetings buzzed in the air, as Janet headed to the kitchen to make coffee for her houseguests.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The Latekka family gathered around the dining room table.

"So, how'd the drop off at rehab go?" Eddie asked glancing back and forth between his parents and sister.

"He did well, he really did. I thought maybe he'd try to back out at the last minute, but he didn't waiver," James offered, in a subdued tone, while JJ offered clinically, "He was beginning to go into DT's on the way there; cold sweats; mild shaking. The clinic staff could see his condition and they got him admitted quickly."

Marie continued, "The facility appeared well kept and if the clinic staff is any indication, he picked the right place for his recovery. But, it's all up to Ryan now."

There was noticeable ebb in conversation as each family member reflected on the past few days.

"I was just about to start dinner…" Janet offered, coming back into the dining area and placing her coffee carafe, mugs, spoons, creamer and sugar on the table.

"Actually… Marie and I would like to take our family out to dinner tonight. It's been… to put it mildly… a long couple of days. And, to be clear, our aim is to cause you as little inconvenience as possible during our stay with you. Janet, tell us, where would you like to go for dinner?" James asked with perfect kindness in his voice.

It didn't escape her attention that in that short speech… James had included her as a member of the Latekka family.

It didn't escape Eddie's attention either, as he squeezed Janet's hand, and felt the long held animosity he had held for his father begin to dissipate as a new, previously foreign, feeling of respect for his father began to emerge.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"A toast," Eddie said, holding up his beer, as he, Janet and the rest of the Latekka family sat around a large round table at the steak house in the neighboring town of Jasper Creek.

"Yes, a toast," Marie echoed, holding up her glass of Pinot Noir, "To Ryan's health."

"To my other children, for being on the right path," James said quietly, holding up his sold water with lime.

"To my new favorite friend, Janet, for putting up with the lot of us," Jillian said, holding up her vodka and tonic, as she winked at Eddie.

"To all of you, for making me feel like a member of your family," Janet said, as she leaned into Eddie, and raised her glass of caffeine free soda.

Eddie leaned over and whispered in Janet's ear and Janet nodded slightly. Eddie raised his glass of Paul Revere beer.

"To Janet, who knew me during my worst years, and yet she still took a chance on me when not a lot of women would have. She's made me happier than I've ever been… and… that's not all. She is about to do something… something amazing. Mom, Dad, Jill… Janet and I… we're having a baby." Eddie said, stumbling with his words a bit, but smiling with hope and pride.

Janet couldn't take her eyes off of Eddie's, his eyes glassy with tears she knew he wouldn't part with in this company. She leaned in to nuzzle against his neck.

A few seconds of palpable silence were quickly followed by a buzz of excitement.

"Eddie?" Marie asked her one word question, a wide grin spreading across her face as she reached over and took her husband's hand, "Janet… You're pregnant? James, I can't believe it… we're going to be grandparents."

"Who'd have imagined it? Eddie Latekka is going to be a father. Wait. I'm going to be an aunt?" JJ squealed loudly, grinning at her brother, not hiding the shock or excitement from her voice. She then excitedly turned to Janet, "When? When am I going to an aunt?"

That set off another buzz around the table. James kissed his wife's hand, and then sat back with a content look on his face as he took in beautiful picture in front of him. His excited wife, daughter, future daughter in law (he hoped) and his son, whom he noted looked happier than James could recall ever seeing Eddie before.

"Cheers," a very happy James said as the buzz died down a bit, and with that they all lifted their glasses, clinked them together for good luck, and drank their toasts.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Ring.

Janet stared down at the phone and after wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, answered the phone.

"Hey Hannah, what goes on?" Janet said, sticking the phone between her ear and shoulder, freeing her hands to get back to the mission at hand, frosting Eddie's birthday cake.

"Just checking in. Everything is ready to go for the party, what time do you want me there?" Hannah stood in her own kitchen, placing tinfoil on the 4th container of food. She was technically catering this party for, and with, Janet as the two best friends were doing a test run to see if they were up to starting their own catering business.

"Can you get there at 5pm? Ikey is supposed to have Eddie there by 6:30pm…" Janet said as she put the finishing touch on the cake.

Ding dong.

"Oh, hold on a second Janet, that's my door," Hannah said, not waiting for a reply as she put the phone down.

Within a moment Hannah was back on the phone.

"Janet…." Hannah said, her voice shaking a bit.

"What goes on, Hannah Jane? Who was that?" Janet said, concern creeping into her tone.

"Fed Ex… the DNA tests. The results. I have the results." Hannah's voice drifted off.

"Want me to come over?" Janet asked, looking around at her messy kitchen, but knowing that despite her clean house OCD, she'd leave the mess to be there for her best friend.

"Um, no Janet, it's okay," Hannah sounded more sure of herself, "This is something that Sam and me have to do together. I'll call you though. And I'll see you at 5pm. I promise."

"Okay…. Call me if you need me," Janet sighed and hung up. She stood there for a few minutes, contemplating Hannah and Sam's situation before shaking it off to get the cake ready to go.

She then got to work cleaning up her kitchen.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Rock Star?" Hannah shouted out the back door.

"Yah?" Sam yelled from next door where he was making some money painting a shed for the elderly couple who had moved in a few months back.

"Can you come here, please?" Hannah shouted. She could see him start to climb down off the small ladder he was using and head towards the house. She went into the living room, envelope in hand, and sat down on the couch.

"What goes on mom," Sam asked he cleaned his hands off in the kitchen.

Hannah looked up at her little boy, her growing boy, who seemed to have sprouted up a foot in the past month. This past week he had his hair cut shorter and, with the new look, his face was seemed thinner, more defined, and more teenage like.

For a minute she wished he was still that toddler that would crawl up on her lap and hug her for dear life.

"Results came," Hannah said glancing back and forth between the envelope and her son. Knowing this truth could change everything, she daydreamed about taking the package in her hands and tearing it to pieces. She wished she could forget that she ever approached the three men who could be Sam's father. She wished she could make the envelope disappear.

She fought all her fears and held it up and offered it to Sam.

He hesitated before taking it from her, holding it away from his body and gripping it with the tips of his fingers, as if it would burn his skin if he let it any closer. He then looked at Hannah, confusion filling his young face, "You do it, please, … Mom."

Sam quickly put it down on the coffee table in front of her.

"I…. I …. I really don't know if I can, baby," Hannah said, holding out her arms to her son. Sam sat down beside her and let her hold onto him. They both stared at the envelope as if it were a bomb just ticking away, ready to explode if they made the slightest wrong move.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Janet stopped by Hannah's on the way to the party – just in case. Sam and Hannah helped her load the food into her car. Closing the back of her SUV, Janet turned to Hannah who was shaking her head.

"I swear I would have gotten it there Janet, you type A , control freak, OCD stricken best friend of mine," Hannah teased, but Janet could tell it took effort to put a face on for even her.

"Hey, I totally own being a type A, control freak with OCD and you know you love that about me – but I also know that you don't need any more pressure than what's sitting in that envelope on your coffee table unopened. So, you gonna show that Hannah Jane 'take no prisoners resolve' and open that thing or what?" Janet pushed. Hannah let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"Take no prisoners resolve, huh? Janet… It's… harder than I thought. And do you want to know the worst part? I keep thinking… I want it to be Phil. Not for Sam's sake, but because Phiz is such a sweet guy. I mean, he'd be ecstatic and he wouldn't be awful to me. He wouldn't try to steal my son from me. How selfish am I? I mean, Big Cat will take over both Sam's and my life if it's him… and Nick….." Hannah couldn't say it.

"Say what you want, Hannah, but you know, and I know, and I'd bet Sam knows, that you want it to be Nick. Nick loves that boy," Janet said with conviction, "And he loves you, even if the two of you refuse to own up to your mistakes and just work it out."

"So says the girl that won't marry Eddie Latekka," Hannah fired back; bothered by the direct attack her friend was taking. Janet smiled.

"But at least I'm WITH Eddie Latekka. Married or not, we're happy. You could be happy too. I have seen you try to pretend that you're not lonely without him. But you've been lost since the day Nick left Knight's Ridge. You were going to marry a man you didn't love because you knew that anything after Nick would require settling. You love him. You love him, love him, love him. I'm not promising that it will be easy, but you can get your happily ever after. Nick and Sam? You guys as a family together? That is your fairytale ending."

Hannah just stared at Janet, her arms curled protectively around herself, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Then she watched as Janet's eyes became distracted, looking over her shoulder, down the street behind Hannah. Hannah turned to see what caught Janet's attention and there he was, Nick Garrett, walking down the street towards her. Judging by the look on his face and the determination in his step, she knew he was coming there to seek answers.

She flashed back to the day dreams she used to have about this very scene unfolding running through all the various ways each of those day dreams had ended. She didn't realize that she had been staring until Nick stopped short in front of her, arms crossed, his eyes on Hannah and Hannah alone.

With some difficulty Hannah broke eye contact with Nick and turned back to Janet.

"Be good," Janet whispered smiled, and leaned in for a hug, and then walked off towards her car. Hannah felt herself drawing on that 'take no prisoners resolve' Janet insisted she possessed and turned back to a still silent Nick.

"Come in, Nick," Hannah said and held out her hand to him.

Nick looked at her with confused eyes, but something in him melted on the spot. He dropped his defensive posture, took her hand and walked towards the house.


End file.
